The Rocky-Top Chronicles (part 1)

I honestly don't remember when I first asked my parents if we could have a dog. At this point, it's been such a consistent ritual - especially around holidays and birthdays - that I honestly believed I was never going to have one in my parents' house.

Until two weeks ago.

While I was putting together an inventory list for a show, mom surprised my by inviting me into her office to look at a picture she described as 'adorable.' She surprised me even more when she revealed it was a picture of two young puppies - both looking for their new families.

It surprised me so much, in fact, that we had to have very, very long talk that morning about why she was suddenly so interested; the sudden change of heart made me start to question whether or not this was a good idea.

Ultimately, we decided to just learn a little bit more about these puppies and their litter... and before I knew it, the very next day, we'd started the adopting process!

We brought Rocky-top (answers to 'Rocky') home early Sunday afternoon... and from there it was already a pretty rocky start (if you pardon the expression). He was the last of his litter-mates to be adopted and leave his first home, so, naturally, he was a little scared at the start of the journey. The fact that the wind was blowing so hard it could knock over a barn didn't really help. I remember holding him for the first time outside and twisting my body so as to shield him from the wind.

"Don't worry - I'll keep you safe," I told him. He looked up at me with his big brown eyes, and suddenly I realized he already had my heart.

That's why this next part is so hard to admit: I'm beginning to doubt that this was actually a good idea.

As much as I love our new little buddy, I suddenly realize just truly unprepared I was for everything that comes with a puppy. I'm sleep-deprived, slightly overly-caffeinated, and, so far, have be the one around Rocky the most (due to work constraints for my mother and brother). I had to have a little melt-down this morning after Rocky went down for a morning-nap, and laminated the fact that it's only day 3 of our adventure into Puppy-ownership... which will one day turn into Dog-ownership, I know.

As of now, I feel like I'm a total failure at this thing because of the constant missteps - a few accidents in the house, him running off in the backyard, not having the right toys at the ready, the crate-training.... ESPECIALLY the crate-training! (Hence the sleepless nights).

At one point I was in a near-panic that I was the worst dog-owner ever and tearfully considering the idea that perhaps someone better could give Rocky the right home... a thought that literally sent me into a wave of tears (I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a cry-baby for my pets).

But then I got a big confidence-boost from my mother by the early-afternoon. She reminded me that we're all basically at square-one with this process: growing up, my brothers and I weren't allowed anything more sexy that a hamster or some guinea pigs. Mom, meanwhile, though having a lot of personal experience with dogs hasn't raised one from puppy-hood in over thirty years.

"We don't know what we don't know yet," she reminded me when I started tearing-up again.

So, where does that leave us now?

Well... still on shaky-ground in all honesty.

I still don't know what I don't know yet about Rocky's temperament and preferences - though we all know he's got a personality! And even Rocky himself, doesn't know what he doesn't yet, as was astutely pointed out yesterday by a friend and neighbor; on his last potty-break mom had to reprimand him for sampling his own, uh, 'sample,' and I keep turning around only to find him chewing on leaves or grass he brought in from outside. Sometimes he's even chewing on something completely random like a roasted peanut... guys, we haven't had those kinds of nuts yet this year... where do they come from?!

We're taking Rocky to his first vet-visit tomorrow, and I think talking to his doctor and asking a few questions might make me feel better. Until then, we'll all keep working with him, try to nail down his bell training, and keep running zoomies in the backyard (though he is a curious fellow, and I suspect he will need leash-practice soon).

-12/6/23