…is actually my first dog. Growing up I always had cats around and as far as dogs were concerned, I was actually rather afraid of them for awhile. So, I am dog-convert you might say, swayed by a pair of milk-chocolate brown eyes and fluffy yellow fur. This first post is dedicated to the story of how I came to meet my first Lab…Audrey.

The idea of bringing a puppy into my life materialized one summer when my husband found out he got into a year-long graduate program nearly 300 miles away from me. I didn’t fancy the idea of being alone in our house at night and thought a puppy might make some good company. I’m aware of the obvious question–a puppy? But, you’re a cat person, right? Or, at least, you were, right? What made you think of a dog? Why not a cat? Well, my fear of dogs had subsided as I got older, and at the time I was working in an office that had 3 Labs who made regular visits. The more time I spent around the “Office Labs,” the more comfortable I felt interacting with them…and the more in love I fell with the breed.

Now armed with the idea of getting a Lab puppy, I did some research and inquests and found a reputable breeder, Windland Labradors, who had pups available to adopt that summer. Not only were her Labs beautiful, but she had been breeding for many years and she was active in a variety of kennel clubs. It was obvious that she really cared for her dogs and for Labs as a breed. My husband and I sent in our adoption application and set up a time to make the drive (2.5 hours) to select our puppy. We had to wait five weeks before our appointment and I was very nervous about the whole selection process. How would I know which puppy was right for me? Some books suggested specific tests to use with your prospective puppy, while others suggested that the puppy will select YOU–the “you’ll just know” theory. Piece of cake.

When we arrived at the breeder’s home, we were taken to the kennel area to spend some time with the puppies. There were 3 litters at the time, so the kennel was brimming with puppy cuteness. This was not going to be an easy task. The breeder first showed us the puppy that had been reserved for us. This puppy was a yellow female, and boy, was she a BIG girl!! She was also VERY energetic and could barely be contained long enough to pet! We expressed some concern over her size and energy level after the breeder discussed the needs of such a pup. That is when she showed us some other female pup who were available, a couple yellow and a couple black. Of course, they were all cute bundles of fluff and sharp teeth. To me, one stood out from the rest, though, and that was Audrey.

Because I can no longer resist, here is a picture!! This is Audrey the day my husband and I brought her home at 8 weeks old. Now, back to the story of how we picked Audrey.

So, there we were, sitting on the floor amidst some very cute puppies. I picked up one, a yellow girl, (Audrey, of course) and cradled her in my arms, like you would a baby. She looked up at me with what had to be the most apathetic look. She didn’t squirm or try to get away. She just lay there in my arms looking up at me. Eventually, she sniffed my arm and gave me a few licks. I handed her over to my husband to hold and told him I liked her. He wasn’t so sure of her, he was more interested in this little black pup who was nipping at his shorts. He thought Audrey didn’t have any personality, and set her back down on the floor. Now, what she did next sold us both.

Once on the floor again, Audrey very confidently pranced across the kennel floor to the gate of the breeder’s one chocolate lab. She stopped, looked at the other Lab, pawed at the bottom of the gate, took a step back, and the proceeded to go into a play bow and bark at the chocolate. This little show of attitude and playfulness sealed the deal. That little pup was ours.

We had to wait three long weeks after that first meeting before we could bring Audrey home, but she was worth the wait. Of course, our first few weeks at home with her we had quite a learning curve, since she was the first puppy for both of us, but that story is for another post. For now, here are a few more puppy pictures of Audrey to enjoy!