Gotcha Day

Well, it's hard to believe, but it's been 12 months since my forever family came and took me home. Of course, they'd seen pictures demonstrating my cuteness and obvious intellectual superiority, but on the 5th December, 2009 we became a family.

To demonstrate their love for me, they drove 1,100km from Thunder Bay, Ontario to Jackson, Wisconsin. Dad had two herniated discs in his back, but he wasn't going to let that slow him down (of course, his chiropractor knows nothing of this)

I started to assert my human training on the first night. My family had some blankets and toys for me, which they arranged on the floor of the hotel (which was pet-friendly, I might add). However, by 2am, Mum couldn't bear to listen to my pathetic whimpering anymore and took me into bed. While I didn't actually see the look on Dad's face when he rolled over in the night and buried his face in my fur, I did hear his exclamation. Of course, having coerced my humans into letting me sleep on the bed, I continue to this day to assert my rights in that regard.

I don't remember much of the drive home. I spent the trip nestled in the lap of my human sister, who smothered me with love. We have a special bond, the two of us - her hair and my fur are the same colour, so of course we have something special.

When we arrived home, we were greeted by my other big sister, Claire, the Golden Retriever. She didn't really know what to make of me initially. At first, she seemed to think I was a giant chew-toy just for her. She would grab me by the ear and drag me around the floor. Funnily enough, she still does that, but I let her and we have great fun play-fighting. There's lots of growling and noise, but we have lots of fun.

In September this year, we had another addition to the canine family, when Clifford, the minature Dachshund joined the fold. He's permanently wired - Mum calls him Jumping Bean, because he's always hopping around looking for attention. He's really funny - Dad calls him Pokey Nose, because every morning when he comes upstairs he attacks everyone with his nose. Personally, I call him a thief, because he steals all the chew-toys in the house and hoards them in his bed. Claire and I think he may be a spy or something, because he's always interrogating the stuffies and making notes about them.

Anyway, that's pretty much my first year here summed up. I've had a lot of fun and have a great family behind me. Between the humans and my canine brother and sister, I can't complain.