Litany of a puppy

When you decide to get a puppy, am pretty certain you'd want me. Here are some insights into having and loving this puppy.

This puppy is very very independent and loves to be left alone. It's not that he doesn't want you around, he's just not used to having someone poke and stroke him all the time. Give him space, give him time. After all, once you've gained his trust, he'll be eating out of your hands. That takes time.

Feed him with trust and respect. Like any young thing, this puppy likes to think he's the king of the world, that he's invincible, that he can do it all. First thing, you really have to trust him and not treat him like a kid. While you speak of trust, your actions say otherwise, thinking of his supposed indiscretions when all he does is remain true and loyal.

Words are important, but so are deeds. This puppy wants you to walk your talk. He wants honesty. He wants integrity. These two are sides of the same coin, one must live with the other. Being honest means conforming your words to reality; having integrity means conforming reality to your words.

This puppy has a lot going on right now. He's growing, he's getting big. He needs support more than criticism, understanding more than confrontation.

He's incredibly smart, and he expects you to get him as much as he gets you. He's very insightful. He keeps his profound discoveries to himself, and assumes you are at the same page as he is most of the time.

He's a born leader. And acts like one, too. Some people find it amazing that he's even capable to follow orders. Well, leaders are great followers, aren't they?

He won't easily let you take the reign, but when he does, rise to the occasion. Otherwise he'll be frustrated enough and bitch about your inability to make up your mind. He's right, you know. If you can't make up yours, how can you make him?

Confrontational he isn't. He prefers subtlety. He has class. Push him and he'll draw inside himself. Chase him to a corner and you'll find him fighting back with silence. Deadly silence. Death to your relationship with this puppy.

He loves his friends and family so dearly you'll be competing for his attention for a long time. You'll gain his respect for giving him time to adjust to your presence in his life. Once he does, you'll see it's all worth it. Criticize this, or even try to force him to make a choice between you and his loved ones and you'll only drive him away.

He won't understand jealousy, yours to be specific. Be jealous anyway, you have every reason to, since everybody wants him. But don't be possesive. He's with you, that matters a whole lot.

Remember that this puppy has a universe all his own before you came along. The point is not to change his universe and make yours his, but to merge your lives, two universes where both can find your own places and be your own person while being together.

This puppy is not a conquest, so don't brag that you're with him. But never dismiss him and take him for granted once you've had him in your arms.

Be proud, not because he chose you, but because you chose him. You chose right, and did right by him.

It will be hard, nobody said it won't be. But if you wanted it easy, get a hamster or a kitten.