This picture was taken on the first day my

puppy and I met. At this point, he didn’t even

have a name yet.

Bitey isn’t my boy’s real name.  Let’s call him Geordie just for fun.

Before we could get started on our adventures today we had to make a stop at the bank.  At the drive through, the teller sent FOUR biscuits to Geordie through the tube.  She said she thought he looked cute with the wind blowing in his fur as he sat on the seat beside me.  (I had the vent fan on.)

Then off we went to PetSmart.  This was the day that puppy discovered that the pet store has toys. One of the things on my list was a new loofa dog for him. The display for them was at the check out. I picked out a blue one that I liked, and a cream one that looked like the one he had before only it was twice the size. I held them both up for him and asked which he wanted. He took one look at the cream one and started that “ooh!  ooh!” cry terriers give when they see a friend. OK, we’ll get the cream one. The woman in line behind us just laughed and laughed watching the all-too-human expressions my boy has.At the checkout, Geordie stood up on his back legs, trying to be as tall as he could to see what was going on. After ringing up the toy, the cashier handed it to my puppy. He was SO happy that he trotted out of the store with his head high and his new toy wiener dog (that’s bigger than he is) in his mouth. He got a lot of “Awww”s today.

After that, we went to PetCo. where he met a spotted dachshund.  The man with him said that the dog was a silver dappled dachshund.  I’d never seen one like it before.  He and my pup hit it off right away.  The two of them both did that polished-floor-backpedaling that dogs to so well at stores.

This trip confirmed to Bitey that PET STORES HAVE TOYS!  I squeaked a few, just checking them out, and he went nuts sticking his nose into those wire bins to get at things.  He’d look up at stuff with his “You’re going to give me that, aren’t you?” look.  I realized that the only time he sees a toy, it is when I am giving it to him.  In his mind, every toy he sees is his.  I’m not quite sure how he processed the experience.

Next we stopped at the Pet Warehouse.  Geordie has only been there twice, but he recognized the place as soon as I pulled into the lot.  He had a great time walking by all of the bins of raw hide and sniffing them.  I know he would love raw hide, but it is so bad for dogs.  As much as I’d love to indulge him, I know it would make him terribly sick.

Next, he wanted to go over to the aquarium section, so we did.  I lifted him up to see the fish in the tubs, but he seemed more interested in the “bath tubs” than he was in the fish.  I had tried showing him birds at PetSmart, but he just wanted to gaze at all the displays.  (I’m surprised because of his feelings toward birds in general.)  At PetCo, there were cats in kennels at one end of the store.  The cats glared at him with venom in their eyes, but Geordie was blissfully unaware that the cats were even there.  He doesn’t seem to notice cats much anyway.

The toys at the Pet Warehouse were reasonably priced, so I chose a couple and set them on the floor.  I asked Geordie which one he wanted.  I didn’t even get the sentence out when he had lunged for the toy seal.  OK, we’ll get the seal.  When I told my Mom what I had done, she said that she never thought to let the puppy pick out his own stuff.  I like to let him so that I can see how his mind works.  He has lots of opinions, and he’s not shy about sharing.

So, four biscuits, two new toys, a ride in the car and a walk around the neighborhood.  Not a bad day for a little puppy.  If this is a dog’s life, it ain’t too bad.

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