Chief, the one-year-old.

Yesterday was Chief's first birthday and I have to say I am one proud pet-parent! It is hard to believe that this time last year, Taylor and I were less than a year into marriage, hanging out at Jittery Joe's and crossing our fingers that there was a boy in the recently born litter of German shepherd puppies.

I'm sure some moms would choke me if I said raising a dog is like a child (although I have done a lot of babysitting...), but the bond has to be like a sneak peek of being a momma. The past year has been filled with so many hilarious (and frustrating) memories...like potty training, moving into a new house, going on walks, thinking Chief would never run out of energy, finding ripped up magazines, and cuddling in bed. I could not imagine our little family without him!

Here are some of my favorite recent pics of our pup:

I'm looking forward to seeing how Chief  "mellows out" as an adult :) And who knows, maybe within this year we will add another pup to our family (and maybe I already have the name picked out)!

xoxo

P.S. If anyone in the Athens-area is looking for a German shepherd breeder, we highly recommend Allen Kennels.

some days

Some days this little pup just annoys the tar out of me (like when he thinks my shoe is a chew toy...when it's on my foot), but other days he can do no wrong. Those eyes. I love having a little, loyal best friend around when I'm home alone.

That is all :)

Chief at four weeks

Yesterday Taylor and I made what could be our last visit to Allen Kennels until we pick him up on April 14th. We knew he'd be bigger, but I couldn't believe how much bigger! After we got home and I looked at pictures from last week I got a little worried that we had played with the wrong pup...but they grow so much in a weeks time it really is hard to tell.

Chief gave us our very first kisses and we loved feeling his little teeth and tongue. I also could not get over his soft and fluffy coat. I think that's why he looks so different.

During our 7 hour ride home from the beach, I read up on more training tips. I am trying not to get overwhelmed with all we will have to do once we take him home. As great of an addition Chief will be to our family, it will definitely impact our marriage and free time. My goal is to remember that we won't be perfect puppy parents, but we will try our hardest to give him a safe, fun, and adventurous life!

P.S. Doesn't he look like a little bear?

Chief at three weeks

After another visit to Allen Kennels I am more in love than ever before. Chief's eyes are open and he's ready for adventures in this big wide world!

It is amazing to see those little eyes and all the personality they hold! I think he will fit into our little family perfectly. Only 18 days to go!

P.S. he grew so much since one week ago!

Chief at two weeks

We went back to Allen Kennels to visit our little pup Chief. The hope is that each week he becomes more familiar with our scents (and when his eyes and ears open- our faces and voices). It's amazing how much he grew in only one week!

I just can't get over how soft he is. On Sunday I read up on training tips for German Shepherd Dogs. Here's some information I found most surprising and helpful:

•  German Shepherds shed all year long. To keep Chief well-groomed and happy, he'll need to be brushed twice a week.
• Puppies need 10 to 12 hours of sleep a day. What a life!
• Dogs should always be trained with positive reinforcement, meaning treats and praise when they do something right- not punishment for disobeying.
• Chief will need to be on a regular schedule of sleep, feeding, going out and playing as soon as possible. This might require me to work from home for a few days when we first get him...No complaining here! 

The official countdown until when we take him home is 25 days! Hip hip hooray!

Nice to Meet You

Yesterday was one of the most anticipated days of my life- we got to meet our newborn puppy, Chief.

We talked with the breeder, Cindy, for a while about the birth, how the litter was doing, the coloring of each of the pups, and the difference in temperament between male and females. Cindy showed us the three males and let us pick which one we wanted. Taylor chose the one with the most tan coloring (that we could see). Finally we got to hold one-week-old Chief.

I couldn't believe how tiny he was and how sweet his little whine/cry would sound. I also wasn't anticipating the surprise he would leave on my arm...

This is either a sign of our lifelong bond or the beginning of a tough battle ahead. Taylor likes to think Chief was playing a joke on me :) I like to think I already have a lot of love for this pup.

We will be visiting Chief once a week for the next month to acclimate him to our voices and smells. It's amazing how big the puppies get just in a couple weeks. We've been watching a lot of training videos, but this one is by far the sweetest.

xoxo

puppy love

I briefly mentioned last week that Taylor and I are getting a puppy! And not just any puppy, a German Shepherd. This has all transpired rather quickly, but I'll give you some back story.