December 23, 2014

[Mazz]

That's the day I told Sally I was going to drive up to Cabela's in PDC, Wisconsin. Instead, I drove to a rural area about an hour's drive north of Madison, Wisconsin.  This is where Rohn was waiting.  He was a bit small at eight weeks, a tad skiddish of strangers, and at that point I was considered a stranger. But he was oh so vocal.  His breeder gave him his next scheduled set of shots, I paid the balance due, and walked out to the truck.  The night before this sneaky trip, I had placed the dog carrier onto the back seat of the truck, and so that was to be Rohn's place during the trip home.

Did I mention that Rohn was vocal?  Goodness sakes alive, for such a young pup, he sure had a lot of volume.  The first hour of the trip to home, was constant woo-woos and shriek cries from this little guy.  I wooed back at Rohn, sort of like having a conversation between man and pup.

Once we were on the other side of Madison, Wisconsin, I stopped to give Rohn a potty break.  He had just quieted down and was napping, but it was time.  A few minutes later, Rohn was back in his carrier and we were back on the road. We picked up our conversation where we had left off.  I don't recall exactly what either of us said, but it was all woo-woos anyway.

Ninety minutes later, Rohn had been napping for the last twenty minutes or so. But it was time for another potty break.  The last rest area in Wisconsin, before entering Iowa, at Dubuque, along the Mississippi River; this was the final few minutes that Rohn would spend in Wisconsin; and he'd spend it going potty.

Well ten minutes after getting back in the truck, Rohn was crossing the great Mississippi River, about to enter his new home state of Iowa.  And Rohn entered Iowa just a wooing at the top of his lungs. It was like he had conquered some evil empire and this was his victorious entry into Iowa.  I guess you had to be there.

A little over an hour later, I pulled into our drive. Sally was not home yet, so that was good. I took Rohn out to the back yard to meet his new pack.  There was Zoya, Eisa, and Koda.  Let the butt sniffing begin!  Well, time was getting short, and Sally was about to be home.  I took Rohn down to the family room and asked our son, Dan, to keep him quiet. Just in the nick of time, because Sally walked in as I took my last step from up out of the basement. She asked if I had bought anything at Cabela's. I was able to tell her no, that I had not purchased anything at Cabela's. She took off her coat and went to change.  I whirled around and flew down the stairs.

I had Rohn in my arms as I walked up the stairs.  As I walked down the hall, I was hoping the little guy would keep his yap shut. Surprisingly, he did.  I walked into the room, and when Sally looked up, she said, "You got me a puppy? Oooh he's precious." To which I replied, "Merry Christmas."

Rohn just started his second year with his pack. He has grown into a wonderful Husky, full of vim and vigor. This past fall, Sally started training him to pull; nothing heavy yet, just commands and she walks him with the scooter so he will get used to it.

So what is the moral of this story? Don't buy a puppy as a Christmas gift unless you are willing and able to care, train, feed, nurse when sick, and devote time, energy, and finances for the puppy.  Puppies require a lifetime commitment.  What I did a year ago, could have been disastrous for a pup like Rohn, if we would have tired of him, realized he was too much trouble, or cost too much to keep.  Lucky for us and for Rohn, such was not the case.

Rohn at one of his very rare motionless times. That's my boy!

[Jay]

What a great story and advice!  And Rohn looks handsome as ever!  (and mischievous)

[robke]

He sure is a beaut...

[Emma]

He's growing into a very handsome boy.

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[goingsolo]

Lovely, happy Christmas to you all xxxx

[NOBELHOWLUC49]

Lovely story with a serious message.   Handsome lucky boy to of Woooooohoooo his way into your hearts. X 

[mydiamond]

Noooooo waaaaay. The last time I was here Rohn was just the size of my teddy bear! I really have been gone too long! Merry Christmas to you and yours, Mazz!