A New Addition

I just realized that it has been almost a year since I wrote anything on this blog. So many things have happened. Last year around this time, my first boy, Harley passed away at age 7 from an aggressive cancer. Losing a beloved partner is always hard, as most know. Sometimes it seems like it is even worse when you lose them at a young age. But in February of this year, I found a little Beagle who was up for adoption. His name was Buddy and for some reason, he stood out among some other dogs up for adoption. I went to look at a number of dogs and saw Buddy last. He was sweet and soft but not very interested in me. Later, I found out that this was because he had eaten a fake plant in the foster home he was staying at. The lady who was fostering him said that he was great with her cats and even would sleep with their pet rabbit. I decided to adopt him since he seemed to be a good fit for apartment life and my husband who hasn't had a dog in a long time. I was so excited that I bought a bowl, toy, leash, and collar before ever knowing that the adoption paperwork had been approved.

The woman from the rescue brought him to my apartment. The cats were not too sure about him but he did not chase them or interfere with them in anyway. The first night, he slept with me in bed, right by my side. During the day, he would cuddle with me on the couch and he loved being outside to take walks. Those first few days were perfect. It was the easiest introduction I've had with a dog or cat for that matter. I decided to change his name to Oliver because Oliver means affectionate. On March 5th, my husband came to the states to finally stay with me. Oliver was perfect again with the change. Ever since, he has been the perfect addition to our home. He is leading me down a new path of understanding and learning. Each day, I learn more from him. He has such a sweet and goofy personality that continues to shine each day. The cats now love him. Oliver often gets attacked by Harvey who thinks that the dog should play with him. We now say that Oliver is Harvey's dog!

Normally, I would have jumped to train such a dog! However, after months of having him, I've just started seriously training him. When we first got him, I found it hard to do so after Harley had passed. I was emotionally stuck and couldn't even attempt training another dog. I slowly got around to training every now and then but never was enthusiastic about it. I had a hard time finding a training center in the area that was reasonably priced. I had an even harder time trying to find a place that uses positive reinforcement. So, our days were filled with walks and car trips. Finally, I got involved with some dog groups on a website that helped me get excited about dog stuff again. I found a website for a training center that offers classes not far from our apartment. I signed up for a class and things are starting to pick up again. I'm much happier and Oliver is always excited to go to class! We are having a blast. I can't wait to see what path Oliver leads me down!