Nelson Arrives!

Nelson's Notes:  I am 8 weeks old.  I have left my litter mates behind and I am ready to conquer the world!  I have no fear.  I want to explore everything I can, run everywhere, chase everything and chew on most things.  I admit some of these new experiences are a little scary and that makes me cry but I am learning that they turn out pretty well and it might be better to just quietly go with the flow and have fun.

Lia's Notes:  Another one.  She brought home another puppy.  Sigh.  I wanted to believe it wasn't true so I spent the first day avoiding him, he did not go away.  I spent the next day ignoring him, he could not be ignored.  My next step is to reclaim my house, and everything in it.  That little bed: mine.  Those little bones:  mine.  The yard:  mine.  That person:  mine.  The person told me I have to be gentle, and I want to make her happy so I will gently quietly reclaim my place as queen.  That will show that puppy.

Susan's Notes:  I have had Nelson for about a day and a half and I am shocked at how much I am learning already.  He is not my first puppy, and sure I forgot how LITTLE they start out and how every little thing has to be taught slowly and purposefully.  I forgot how torturous the cries could be.   Those are all things, I think I will quickly forget again as I get wrapped up in the learning and teaching that comes with a new Canine Companions for Independence puppy.  I have learned that puppies have VERY different personalities and Nelson's strong independent personality is more striking than any puppy I have had before.  I believe this will work in his favor.  He takes on every new challenge with joy and comes out the other side smiling.  He also makes ME think a little bit harder because I need to be one step ahead of him.  He can be a very quiet little entrepreneur and I know I will need to work hard to show him who the real queen (person in charge) is.   He will be a lot of fun to train and I do think he can make have a wonderful future and career ahead of him.  Like all the kids at my school, he too is college bound.