March 4, 2026 By Maria
When my husband first came home with the puppy it was unexpected and expected at the same time. I knew how much he wanted one and even though he went to look, I figured it was going to happen for real this time. When the kids came down the stairs to see my husband holding the puppy, they were very surprised and excited. My middle son even said, “This is like a book!” And it was until it wasn’t.
The puppy was fluffy and cute, but he also ate up all my time and literally anything he could get his teeth on. It was like a bad song on repeat: destruction, mess, puddle. . .over and over. It slowly got better with time. The puppy now, mainly understands that people are not chew toys and when he does steal my slipper it’s usually just to drop it nearby for attention instead of tearing out its innards. He actually likes and enjoys walks and he has learned the joys of playing fetch and cuddling.
I think I took the longest to adjust to having the puppy out of everyone in our house. It was my first time with a pet, especially one that had to be trained. I was pretty annoyed at him most of the time. . .for a long time. I felt a bit like Mister Bud in Say Hello to Zorro!, a picture book by Carter Goodrich. This is a book my husband found many years ago when we were sorting through the closing sale shelves at a bookstore. Mister Bud is a dog very set in his ways, and schedule. He is very put out when his owners bring home another dog to live in his house. This new dog is Zorro. Mister Bud and Zorro clash heads and share mutual annoyance until one day they realize that they both have the same schedule.
Well, the puppy and I don’t exactly have the same schedule, but we have created a mutually agreeable schedule when I am the only human at home and available for company. We both enjoy taking walks and now I have no excuse to avoid a walk several times a week (sometimes daily) even when I am feeling lazy (or when the climate is less than pleasant). It is actually really fun walking and exploring different walkable areas and neighborhoods near our home. I have noticed details and found hidden places I would never have noticed driving around in a car. Trekking out on these walks, especially through wooded areas, resonates strongly with my inner child. I feel like I’m going out on adventures and exploring like I used to as a kid in the backyard, but now with my furry sidekick and the benefit of adulthood I can explore further places beyond just excavating old bricks in the dirt behind my parents’ house.
When I first tried to bring our puppy outside to explore, he was afraid of everything. If a car drove by, a door opened or a leaf fell down from a tree he was not only distracted, but frightened. Now he loves the outside and eagerly charges out the door. Chilly wind or very low temperatures are a couple of the few things that cause him to hesitate. Sometimes I am not sure if he is behaving better or if I am just better at observing and anticipating his behaviour thus eliminating potential messes.
His behavior may be better, but he is still easily distracted and loves to play just like Lucky Pup in the The Adventures of Lucky Pup by Ken Brown. Lucky Pup lives on a farm with his friend the pig with whom he loves to get into messy misadventures. The poor farmer’s wife seems to live in constant annoyance with Lucky Pup’s trail of messes. Most of the disasters are caused by Lucky Pup looking for an escape from boredom. This is such true puppy behavior. Our puppy gets into the most trouble when he is bored. He starts with looking for someone to play with. If no one is available and his toys aren’t interesting at the moment and no one is offering food, it’s time to find something to destroy or possibly steal and then, of course, destroy.
When playing, adventuring and mess making time is over, the puppy’s favorite thing to do, just like Lucky Pup, is to curl up into a warm round shape and nap. The fact that a good long walk can wear him out has probably saved our furniture from his beaver-like teeth. For now the puppy and I have a mutual understanding: I will walk him as much as I can and if he wants more pets, it is better to play fetch and not destroy my slippers. As the 1964 song lyrics go – Now we’re together nearly every single day Singin’, “Do wah diddy diddy, dum diddy do” . We have learned to like each other and even enjoy one another’s company. I did not see this happening back when the early puppy days were a constant blur of mess, disaster and nipping. Now, just like it is for Mister Bud and Zorro, walks are more fun, dinner time is, shall we say, more interesting, and meet and greet time can be exceptionally sweet.
More Bookshelves Please 