Many people, including myself sometimes, wondered why I was getting a dog as soon as I moved out on my own. I started to wonder if I really needed a dog and if I could handle a puppy on top of school and work. Of course by this time I already had a tiny eight week old puppy that was so happy to have a home and people to be with whenever he wanted. I, along with Cassie, decided to name him Oliver and he was going to be the best dog to ever live and he was never going to get sick or be overly energetic.
After a week or two of having him I discovered that it was only a fantasy because he got sick right away. He developed a case of kennel cough and was infested with worms. I spent the next two weeks staying up with this tiny ball of fur until 1 and 2 in the morning because he could not stop coughing and had to go to the bathroom almost constantly. This really reinforced the idea of whether or not I needed a dog or not. After taking him to the vet a couple times we finally got everything under control and the process of potty training and everything began. I am very happy to say that he potty trained fairly easy. However, at this point he was doubling in weight about every two weeks and getting more and more energy. As I watched this ball of fluff do sprints around the house I just sat there and thought “Oh My Lord, how can a dog go this long without napping or even taking a break”.
After a few months of frustration and whole lot of love, I was finally convinced that Oliver was going to be a great companion. As I sit here typing this now he is chasing my cat, George, all around the house and even though it’s a little chaotic I couldn’t be happier. Oliver still has the tendency to frustrate me when I’m trying to do something productive and he just wants to play but all the love he gives in return is one of the best payments I could ever ask for. Whether it is him curling up next to me on the couch and napping or just watching him run as fast as he possibly can around the yard I can take comfort knowing that I make him feel as loved as he makes me. I would also like to point out that when I say next to me on the couch I 100% mean he plops all 50 pounds of himself right on my lap and does not move.
He is still a puppy but I think Oliver is going to grow to be the coolest dog ever. That’s if he ever develops the ability to walk without tripping over his paws or almost drowning himself everytime he needs a drink. As you can see from the pictures that will be littered throughout this post, he is not only adorable but one of the goofiest dogs to ever live and I wouldn’t want him any other way.
