It took the better part of 2016, but I finally convinced my husband to let us get a dog.

As someone who grew up with dogs in our house pretty much all of my life, I realized that as an adult my home felt unfinished without the presence of a pooch... And I'm talking about a dog here. We don't need to talk about the weight you gain in marriage. The desire for a fluffy companion only grew as time went on, but there was one problem, my husband saw no need for a pet nor the added responsibility. After about a year of asking and presenting my reasoning, he caved.

That's when Oliver came home.

We actually spent a fair amount of time researching what kind of dog would be best for us. For the most part we wanted a small, non-shredding breed that could easily travel with us in a car or in a small plane. Thanks to a friend of a friend, we found Oliver. I will say this, owning a dog as a kid is a lot different than owning a dog as an adult. This is where I should really apologize to my mother for all the times she had to pick up our slack as kids.

There are some things you learn when bringing home a new pup...

Preparation is Pointless

Not that you shouldn't prepare for a new puppy. Of course you should! However, every dog is different. They will learn differently, make mistakes in unexpected places, and will definitely take some time to warm up to you. It's not a simple "plug in and play" scenario.

Non-Toys are the Best Toys

Toys are pretty expensive and even the littlest dog can destroy one in less than 12 hours, but sometimes their favorite toy isn't even a toy at all. Oliver is five months old now and his favorite things to run across the house with are toilet paper (it's like a Ribbon Dancer to him), empty coke bottles and oven mitts. Oh, and I'm pretty sure that if he could live in the laundry basket he would.

Your Heart Will Break Multiple Times

The tears that I have shed in the short three months that we've had Ollie Pop could fill a swimming pool. My heart broke when he got minor, ever-so-normal puppy worms. You'll also cry the first time you leave him to go to work, when he whines uncontrollably in his crate, the first time you board him, the time he gets loose with out his leash and you have to tackle him like a free safety to make sure he doesn't run into the street. You may even cry because he is just so stinking cute and you can't believe he's yours.

Google Is Your Best Friend

On multiple occasions you will think that you broke your dog. Usually this comes anytime he does something out of the ordinary. After a few moments of freaking out because your vet's office is currently closed and it's 11:24 p.m., you will consult Google. This should never be your end-all, be-all when it comes to major health issues, but if you are wondering if your dog losing his baby teeth at four months old is normal, Google can be a great source. 

You No Longer Matter

I'm sure this coincides with child rearing, but you quickly learn that you don't matter anymore when you get a puppy. Your focus is solely on making sure you pup is comfortable, satisfied and happy. You are more than willing to leave an event early so your pup isn't in his crate too long.

Above all, you just can't believe you could ever love something as much as you do your pup. And believe it or not, he loves you right back unconditionally.

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