Never Say Never...Our Pup Katie

Many think that we have lost the very last shred of rational thought around here....maybe they are right. Despite all logic and reasoning, we now have a wonderfully intelligent, beautiful, and sturdily bred German Shepherd Dog to add to our clan.

Announcing...Katie Vom Waldenhaus, puppy extraordinaire!

I am a firm believer in the phrase "Never say never..." The exact circumstances that one swears will never occur, or actions that they swear they will never take...often do in fact happen, exactly as said! This happens around here all the time anyway. And this time is no different. Jason was adamant that we would never have a dog (or any other breathing thing) around here...no fur, no drool, no messes in the backyard, none of that.

For the past year, the boys have been pleading for a doggie of their own. Now, we are typically not real animal lovers around here. I can't stand it when someones dog jumps on me, leaves fur on my clothes, or slobbers on my arm. Jason used to laugh when he saw some schmuck walking their dog in 20 degree temps or in the pouring rain. And I was convinced that the chaos of 4 children flying around here was definitely enough for any house, let alone adding a four-legged furball.

But then I started feeling sorry for the boys, and also feeling that their childhood would be incomplete without some sort of pet. Well, at some precise moment in time (I'm not sure what happens) some strange transformation takes place in one's mind. In that split second, you actually forget anything that you've ever thought before and you convince yourself that your NEW thought is exactly what you should do...of course! In this case, all it took was timing...just wait for the perfect moment (in this case, a theft from our driveway), put a plug in for a dog, and convince Jason that it was his idea :) It worked! "Well, we won't have a dog unless it's a German Shepherd. I won't have some tiny fluff ball, wimpy dog," he says. "Fine, " I say and begin Googling breeders. After much obsessive research on his part, and a hunch on my part, in less than 5 days, we had a pup in our house :)

Actually, to be fair, there was a bit more discussion than that. And planning...."Our dog will be brilliant! (him) Our dog will be beautiful! (me) Our dog will be obedient! (him) Our dog will protect us! (me) Our dog will hunt! (him) Our dog will love kids! (me)"

In the end, we found all of this in our GS...she has lovely markings, very smart, and HUGE. She is 3 months old and after only 3 weeks, I can barely carry her now and her paws are nearly as big as my hands!

Do I mind the fur and the slobber? What about the mess and extra work of a pup? Actually, it's just like your own kids...you don't mind the drool and mess if it is your own. She is learning the rules of the house (like not eating the boys' school papers) and can learn a trick with only one teaching (Frisbee!)...super smart. Katie is a keeper!

So, now my kids have a dog. And what do I get out of this? Actually, I have motives as well. My goal is to train her to run with me, so that I won't be afraid to run/walk at night AND to have her guard the house while we sleep. When a 110 pound dog has "got your back", you feel pretty confident and every great mama needs a bit of assistance in watching over her babies :)