Meet Remington!

Considering that we didn't have a dog when both of our kids were growing up ... we were cat people ... they both have decided to take the canine plunge. I already wrote about KP's Great Dog Debacle, and now our daughter Maddison and her fiancee, Chris, recently decided to make their lives far more complicated when they welcomed a fluffy black tornado of energy into their home.

Meet Remington, the Portuguese Water Dog. 

Maddi + Chris could not be happier with the new addition to her family, but the jury is still out for their 2-year old orange tabby named Pekoe. Pekoe and Remington have thus far shown that they can "play" together but I am sure a minor conflict will erupt in the near future. I had a dog when I was growing up, but I was pretty young when it was a puppy, and those memories have long since faded. I fear that I will be of zero use to them as they stumble their way through the Remington experience.

I have to admit that his big black eyes immediately melted my heart, and his ever-moving puppy-ness is hilarious. So far, the only annoying thing is his habit of nipping. Oh, I completely understand that it is perfectly normal puppy behaviour but that doesn't lower the pain of the gashes on your hands after a romp in the grass with him. Much energy and attention is being expended in training the nips out of his behaviour, and progress is definitely being made. 

One of the funnier things he does ... apologies for including body function stories ... happens when the urge for a #2 comes on. Remy can't ignore the wonders of his environment to take the time to finish the job and a trail of excrement is the proof. It is quite the sight watching the dichotomy of his body as the rear end needs to do its duty but the front end is still moving and grooving. 

Remy is a little over 2 months old right now, and like all toddlers, has an insatiable curiousity that often lands in dab smack in the middle of something he's not supposed to be involved with. From digging up the freshly planted gardens, to chewing on much of thatch, to gnawing on bush branches, and even nip-induced tears at clothing, he's a going concern. 

My good friends Ron and Cathy Andrews were the first people I knew personally that owned a "Porty" and they appropriately named him Gilbert. Over the years I got to know Gilbert fairly well, with all of his PWD quirks, so I had an inkling of how high maintenance the breed can be. Ron's advice was to be prepared for 3 years of puppy-ness, and based on what I have seen on our visits, I can't doubt those words.

Following the theme created by this pandemic ... Life will be a NEW normal ... Maddi + Chris will most certainly find that an evening relaxing on the couch may not occur quite as often as in the past. I am sure they will not regret a single moment, and Remington will be the source of vast amounts of happiness and humour.

God bless them.