Since I am able to keep Archie while he is a Puppy Parent for Paws, I decided to keep a blog specifically about our time together, and Archie's life as a Paws Puppy Parent. There is just not enough time in the day to write down, or scrapbook everything 'noteworthy' that happens with Archie, but I figure a blog entry is a very quick way to jot down things that I want to remember.
I raised Archie as a foster puppy for Paws With a Cause, beginning on August 14, 2009. It's now August 22, 2010, so I've had him now for over a year. He is my third dog I have raised for Paws, except this time it's different; I'm not sending him back. He was selected to enter the breeding program, and help create more wonderful service dogs, and luckily I was given the option of housing him. This is around the time when I would be saying goodbye to my foster puppy, and picking up a new one to start raising from 8 weeks old all over again. I would usually be getting updates on how my dog's training was going up at headquarters, seeing how their life as a service dog is progressing, and then get the wonderful news that they've been placed with a client and are going on to their forever home. This is a whole new territory for me, because instead of saying "goodbye, I'll miss you," I'm saying "you're stuck with me buddy". So what do I do with him now?
Fortunately, Archie never gives me time to think about that question. He's always keeping me busy. Always. He's constantly getting into something, usually my laundry basket or my trash basket. The funny thing is, he knows what he's doing wrong. I'm sure of this because when I get within a foot of him he runs away, then drops and plays "dead weight" so I can't drag him to his kennel. Even at 3am I don't get a break, because he likes to jump up on my bed after he's had enough sleep and drop toys on me, trying to get me to play with him.
Even though he's a lot of work, I have to laugh at everything he does. It's impossible not to. He has a look on his face that's impossible to resist, even when I want to yell at him. It's kind of a mix between being clueless and mischievous, with a little bit of goober thrown in. He doesn't have any issues with his "personal bubble", so he gets in everybody's face without meaning any harm. He doesn't understand how big he is, so he'll come plop on my lap when I'm sitting on the floor, even though he doesn't fit. He steps on my feet, slobbers on my pants, sheds everywhere, but doesn't have a clue. He's come a long way from the little puppy who would put up a fight at tummy-time, and I'm really proud of the way he behaves now (most of the time!). He is great with me out in public, and is a real crowd pleaser when he gives "high-fives" to people. I've come to the point, after a whole year, where I can really trust him with me, and it doesn't feel like a chore to take him out with me. All of my friends, classmates, and professors, have come to learn that he's with me almost all of the time, and are really patient when I need to make minor adjustments for him.
I'm looking forward to the next few years with Archie, and am excited to have "Archie puppies" in the group! Throughout the next few years, I'm sure there will be many "Oh Archie" stories, so hopefully I'll be able to keep a record of them to look at in the years to come!
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