On Jan. 23, our little Ollie turned a year old. On March 22, we will have had him for a year. Time flies when you’re having fun.
Ollie has been the toughest puppy I have ever had. There were times during this year that I thought one of us — either myself or him — was not going to make it. He tried my patience every step of the way.
But we both made it, and he is starting to be a good boy. I’m his “hooman” in the house. He goes wherever I go and watches what I do whenever I get up from my chair. If I bring something to munch on back to my recliner, he is the first one in the chair, as if to say, “What have ya got, Mom? Something to eat?”
He eats everything I do. He loves bananas, apples, blueberries, and especially loves any sort of candy. Every night at bedtime he goes into the bedroom and sits by a popcorn can that I use for his treats. He gets a half of a Pupperoni stick, and when he finishes that he jumps on the bed for his half of a butter mint. And yes, he is spoiled.
Ollie can sit, stay, say please, give kisses and is learning to lie down when he is told.
Finally, he is all potty trained. That seemed to take a while.
His doggy mom only weighs 16 pounds, but Ollie is 27 pounds, solid, and has a big neck. I’m not sure where he gets the extra weight from. My husband says he is just like a gherkin, round. He loves his little sister Sadie Grace, but sometimes he is too rough, and we must make him tone it down. Ollie lives to play. He loves his squeaky toys and balls, and bats his cow hoofs around the floor.
I think his favorite game is chase. We chase him around the house, and he runs from room to room on high, zooming around the couch, chairs, table in the kitchen, under the beds. All you have to do to get him started is look at him and open your eyes up real big, then his eyes get big, and the zooming starts.
As I said before, the first few months of having Ollie, I was so disappointed. He was so much to handle than any other pup I had. Now it could be because I had not had a pup since 1995 and was a lot younger then, or perhaps he was just a high-strung puppy. I think now that it was a little of both.
Since I have been a board member with the Central Aroostook Humane Society, I have witnessed where someone will adopt a dog and after the first weeks or month, they bring the dog back. After a short time, they say it’s too hyper, it nips or it potties on the floor, and unfortunately, without giving the dog a chance to adjust to its new life and surroundings, they give up on it. When you adopt that dog, you take on that responsibility. There may be reasons why they were brought to the shelter and maybe the staff knows the reason, or maybe not. You must have patience with that animal and teach him what he needs to know. They are always willing to learn, and you have to work with them.
Sometimes my patience was thin with my Ollie, but one look at his face and he would melt my heart.
I have adopted four dogs through the years from the humane society, and every one of them has held a very special place in my heart. I am a rescue person all the way. I would rather spend money getting a rescue dog. They are the ones that need a home, need to be loved and part of the family.
So, if you’re looking for that special pet, check out our little shelter. We have some wonderful animals looking for homes. But do your homework. Check out the breed and make sure this is the animal that you want to include in your family. Talk with Betsy and her staff. They will help you to make the right decision.
Check out our Facebook page and please be responsible: Spay and neuter your pets.
Gail Wieder is a member of the Central Aroostook Humane Society board of directors.
