Day 21: Ollivander

Today I am grateful for my dog, Ollivander.  This guy was eventually going to make an appearance as I am grateful for him everyday, but yesterday he was the best dog.  He laid next to me all day while I wasn't feeling well, and even when Justin came home he ate dinner and came back upstairs to hang with me.  I love this pup!!

Justin and I adopted Ollie when he was only 8 weeks old.  We rescued him from a shelter in North Attleboro in October of 2010.  I had been asking Justin for months about getting a dog; he had promised that once we bought a house we could get a dog.  I found an ad online and convinced Justin to at least go meet the last available puppy of the litter.  We ran to Petco to pickup a collar, leash, and some other essentials.  Then we found our way to the shelter.  


The shelter was newly opened, and really it was just a family's home.  The backyard was fenced in, but as Justin and I pulled up the driveway we could hear the little yaps from the puppies waiting behind the gate.  Ollivander was the last puppy to be adopted, so Justin and I didn't really have much of a choice in which puppy we were adopting; but, seriously, who could say "no" to this face?  We filled out the paperwork, paid the adoption fee, and Ollie was on his way home.


Our first few months with Ollie were interesting.  Justin and I learned a lot of important lessons about having a puppy - 

1) Don't expect a crate to keep a dog contained, especially if he really wants to get out. (We bought 2 crates over the course of one weekend and our little houdini broke through both of them!)

2) Gates don't work if your puppy can climb them like "bat-dog." 

3) Stuffed dog toys will last 10 minutes - at best.

4) Puppies can and will eat everything in the backyard (and in the house actually).

5) Dog food is expensive, but not as expensive as the first few vet bills.

6)Puppies love to snuggle.

7)A puppy grows into a fully-grown dog very quickly.

8)You will quickly forget what life was like without the newest member of your family.


Ollivander has grown into a 70lb. black fur ball.  He has stranger-anxiety, so there are only about 10 people he actually likes to be around; but luckily that includes our parents.  He is a smart pup and can stay off-leash in most places.  Ollie loves to play, especially in the snow; but he has adapted to our low-key lifestyle really well.  He will snuggle with me all day if that's what the day calls for; but will play all day long at daycare too.  Like most big dogs, he thinks he's a lap dog - especially with my Mom.  

I am so grateful for Ollivander.  He makes us smile and, for now, completes our little family.  



Here are a few more of my favorite pictures of our big fur ball.

His first snowstorm. 

"Time-out" in the bathroom! Uh-oh!

Then...

Now!