Welcome Home

Today (well, September 18...haven't been able to sleep yet!) I got my first pet. I never grew up with any pets because of my mom's allergies. Being a home care nurse I have been exposed to many dogs, and I really became interested in the idea of adopting/rescuing a dog. Initially, Nick wanted a puppy because he wanted a clean slate for training, and he was interested in looking at breeders; I wanted to rescue a dog. Nick wanted a dog that would not fit in a mailbox (i.e. not a tiny dog!), a breed that was known to have intelligent and quick learners, and one that likes activities like running, swimming, playing fetch, etc. I, too, wanted a large dog with the same qualities--and I also wanted a dog who would be loving/affectionate.

Call it luck, or call it fate....but in the end, it seems like it worked out perfectly. We got a big puppy (10 months) who is a mix between Lab and Plott Hound (random fact: Plott Hound is the state dog of North Carolina), who is very sweet/affectionate, playful, and who is eager to learn. We named him Gasthof.
Nick wanted to name the dog a non-human name...I didn't want a common dog name...and I wanted something with meaning. I thought of Gasthof, after the place where we met (the bar/restaurant Gasthof Zur Gemutlichkeit). We adopted him through Homeward Bound Rescue. They think he is about 10 months old. He was found as a stray in Iowa, was there for a few months, then came up to Minnesota. I have not heard him bark once, just a few whimpers when I went to the apple orchard for a short time today and he stayed behind in the kennel in the kitchen.

We had a great first day! I played with him in the backyard, took him for a walk, and he met a lot of new people today: a few neighbors, my parents, and friends Julie Ann and Dan. He did very well with the transition, better than I expected! Each time he did something he shouldn't (like put paws on the counter, jump on the couch, pull the leash, I corrected him and helped him do something positive/another command like sit, heel, etc. and then would praise him for that. By the end of the day, if he wasn't too distracted by other things, he sat when I told him to sit, and was not pulling the leash as much. Although his background isn't well known, you can tell that he did not learn things like leash manners.

He loved being in the kitchen when Julie Ann and Dan were cooking, but he did not beg for food. A few times he tried to get his cute paws up on the table, but after I corrected him a few times, he was content just following us around or lying in the middle of the kitchen. He definitely wants to be where the action is!

Things that surprised me:
He didn't have any accidents inside today
He came when I called him (from the backyard to the porch door into the house)
He didn't bark once.
He is VERY strong. He pulled on the leash so hard in the beginning he almost took me down and he's less than half my size!
He is darker in color than I thought, but a very handsome dog with beautiful brindle, floppy ears, and a white marking on his chest.
He seemed to develop attachment quicker than I expected.
He got into the car without any difficulty and did very well on his few short car rides. He put his head in my lap...it was very sweet.
He had a few scratches/scabs on his ears and face...I went into nurse mode and wanted to make sure they were healing ok!
He did very well with both Nick and me...we are both on the same page about discipline...consistency, rewarding positive behavior, immediately correcting bad behavior. We make a good team!
And last, but not least, it was love at first sight!

I suppose I should go to bed, so that I can wake up early enough to let Gasthof outside! I am very thankful that the previous owners of my house put up a chain link metal fence in the backyard...he has lots of room to roam and more freedom! I tried to teach him to play fetch today with a frisbee...he got it one time but seemed much more interested in running around and sniffing, taking in his new backyard. I hope tomorrow goes as well :)

FYI This is my first "blog". I thought it was fitting to start a "blog" on the day we got the dog. Even if nobody reads this, I think it will be a nice thing to have--like a journal I can look back on. I will post pictures soon.