Alex Update

                               

I'll be the first to admit that I love the blazing summer heat, but the fresh cool breeze of September is refreshing and I can honestly say that I'm enjoying it.

My son is back to school and both hubby and I are back to work.  And- I'm missing Alex!!  He's still with us, I just miss him when I go to work.  Never thought "it" would happen so quickly, but "it" has.  "It" being...  I've fallen in love with our little pooch!  If I thought that I could sneak him in to work and get away with it, I would.  Ha! Ha!  He is just so adorable, I'd do just about anything for him.  OMG!  Do I sound like a new parent or what?   It's hard to believe that I was the one resisting a new family member, but it is true.

Truth of the matter is that, I am so glad that we waited until school let out.  We've had a solid two months to get adjusted and to find a system that will work for our family.

Alex is being trained using the crate method.  Yeah, I know.  Some people have a problem with this method, but I'm here to tell you that it's working!  It's not error proof, but it's consistent and everyone is happy.  We've had accidents and there will be more, but everyone, including Alex is okay with the crate.

Since Alex is still being housebroken, we walk him every two to three hours.  He's learning to hold it longer and longer.  I'm assuming that you know "it" is peeing or pooping on the floor.  Our son is learning to walk him and is very helpful in keeping an eye on Alex when he's not in the cage.   Are there challenges?  ABSOLUTELY!!   Gone are the days where we leave home and don't return for long hours.  We have to return home to take care of Alex.  My son enjoys playing with Aex and his idea of play is getting Alex worked up to the point where he's (Alex) frantically running through the house barking like he's on steroids or something.  My son thinks it's hilarious; when I'm having a moment and is seeking peace and quiet, it's not so funny, while other times, I'm laughing harder than my son.  For some family vacations, we'll have to find a sitter for Alex and this is definitely new to us.  We thought that we were finished with shots and well visits with our son, but we're back to those again.  Puppy's get over the shot thing much quicker than babies. Like a typical puppy, Alex will chew ANYTHING!  Lol!  On occasion, I've found myself tip toeing over and around an abundance of bones, balls, and other puppy toys. 

Alex still hasn't been upstairs yet and some people find this surprising, while others have nodded in agreement.  Our rational is simple:  we want to preserve the carpet.  Killing the grass with urine is one thing; killing the carpet is a complete different story.  Once Alex is housebroken, he'll be able to enjoy our house in it's entirety.  For now, he will continue to enjoy the main floor.

Anyway with minor adjustments, all is well.   Many years ago, we owned another dog, LA.  Too bad we didn't prepare for LA like we prepared for Alex.  Man, what a difference!  Looking back, we didn't have a clue about caring for a dog.  Fortunately, we found LA a wonderful home with a family that took great care of him.  My journey with Alex reinforces my conviction of the importance of preparation.  Regardless of what is being embarked upon, doing research, reading, and talking to people can help to make whatever the experience more pleasant.  I know that I cannot prepare for everything, but I do know that a lot of preparation can make even the most unexpected events seem more bearable.