I love dogs. I have all of my life. So for me, there’s nothing better than coming home to a house full of wagging tails. But are they happy, or are they bored out of their minds?
When we brought Teddy home (he was only ten weeks old), Candy was 13 yrs and a fragile senior. So we did not allow Teddy to attempt to play with Candy. Instead, Teddy met Cosmo, his best friend, when he was ten months old, and that was his first opportunity to engage in doggie play. So Teddy missed out on having another young dog to play with as a puppy baby.
Summer entered our lives when Teddy was two yrs, and Teddy was afraid of her vigorous play. She would chase him and bite his ears. As a result, Teddy did not want to play with Summer, and Summer missed out on puppy play. As a result, Teddy and Summer missed out on a critical piece of canine development — playing with other young puppies.
We love Teddy and Summer, and we had no idea something was missing! Play!
Enter the Bear, a Golden Retriever puppy. Bear is Teddy’s nephew. All I was thinking about was what to expect when we brought him home. I worried about the amount of work required to raise a puppy. But something extraordinary began to happen. Bear had a positive effect on everyone, especially Teddy and Summer!
One of the most surprising things has been watching them play together. It’s fantastic to see Teddy playfighting with the Bear and watch them run around the yard. And it’s heartwarming to see Summer, who is always so active, have her energy matched by the Bear. Teddy and Summer are playing because of the Bear, our sweet little furry-faced miracle worker.
Bear has taught Teddy and Summer to play like puppies! Watching them play, jumping on each other, is so cute. Teddy and Summer have become more active playing since Bear joined the family, and it’s been wonderful watching their bond grow.
It’s fascinating to see how Bear’s energy influences Teddy and Summer. They seem more relaxed and content now that he is here, further strengthening their relationship. It also makes them feel safer knowing there is another pup around for company and protection if needed.
As I said, adding a puppy into our lives and our dogs’ lives had some unexpected positive effects. Seeing Teddy and Summer play confidently with one another and the Bear has been positive.
All in all, I can say that adopting Bear has been one of the best decisions we’ve made. Teddy and Bear play together constantly, keep each other company, and they have created an unbreakable bond. Adopting Bear was just what we needed to add playfulness and fun to our lives. Yes, it is a lot of work, but the Bear is just what we needed.
If you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the Comments section below.
© 2019 I Don’t Know All The Answers, Nikki Mastro
All of my photographs and documents are Copyrighted.