Introducing Jessie, Our New Puppy

I am pretty sure anyone that follows me on Instagram knows this, but in case you don’t, I have some news to share! We’ve added a new member to our family…A puppy named Jessie. I feel like it may have been the CRAZIEST decision we’ve ever made on a whim, but certainly one that has brought a lot of joy to our family.

Because let’s be honest…Puppies are pretty darn cute, right?

Here’s how it happened: The kids were begging for a dog, and my logic was if I don’t do it while our house is already chaos, it’s never going to happen 😉 My hope is she can grow right along with the kids, be a great companion to them, and teach them responsibility. They are at the age where they are able to help keep her entertained, feed her, and pick up her poop, which is very helpful since I already have my hands full!

We adopted her from Always Hope Animal Rescue, and she’s a Border Collie/Australian Shepherd mix. When searching for a dog, we knew we wanted an active and outdoorsy breed since we are on-the-go a lot, and we definitely met our match with her. Let’s just say I will never *not* reach my gaol of 11,000 steps/day with her by my side! She loves playing with the kids outside, car rides, and exploring new places.

I won’t sugarcoat it though…she’s my fourth child, or fifth if you want to count the cat. People were not kidding when they said puppies are HARD. I have to constantly stalk her to ensure she doesn’t plow over a kid, have an accident, or try to eat our shoes or the cat…Ha! {Thankfully we have a laid back kitty who will play fight with her and walk away when he is done.} Some days I question my sanity…Then she looks at me with those puppy eyes and I forgive her!

We are working on training the kids on how to play with her, and attending puppy classes so we can learn tips ourselves. It’s a TON of work, but we’re getting there, and thankfully she is smart and very motivated by treats and positive reinforcement.

So far, she enjoys her crate at night and while we are away, and I cannot imagine the trouble she would get into without it. I’ve already lost a few pairs of shoes {why always mine, dog?!}, and a few toys and socks have had to get thrown out as well. I have a feeling it will be a long while before she can travel the house solo.

Now that she has had all of her shots, we are going to be exploring more with her, and I’m sure she will make occasional cameos on the blog, along with our beloved Jack-Jack the cat, who is still a fan favorite – don’t worry 😉

She has eaten up a massive amount of my time, but also is starting to take a massive piece of all of our hearts as well.

Wish us luck as we continue to train her in the year ahead!

What puppy tips do you have? I’m all ears!