Her First Year…
Hip, hip, hooray, Daisy turns one today. Not only has she filled our house with her happy personality, but she has stolen our hearts with her kisses and smiles. Yes, she does smile, and she just loves being with us, and that love extends to everyone she meets. She is a breath of fresh air on a rainy day, sunshine on a cloudy day, and pure joy every day. She continually surprises us with her antics, and of course, she is a toy poodle, making her very smart. She came to us when we needed her most and helped to heal the pain of so many losses last year, one of which was our beloved Gracie. I was a bit skeptical of getting another white toy poodle, thinking that the new dog would remind me of Gracie, but the choice was taken out of my hand when we went to the breeder, and Daisy was the only dog that came over to me and started kissing my hand. Let me tell you, she chose me, and she has been kissing us ever since. In no way does she resemble Gracie except in being innovative. Gracie was gentle and sweet. Daisy is a whirlwind. Where Gracie was shy, Daisy is a rock star attracting all kinds of attention wherever she goes. I look at her precious face, and I see a confident rascal who exhausts me with her energy, but then, when it’s time to rest, she quietly gets on my lap, and we have tea and cookies. I will always miss Gracie. She was the best dog ever. I mean that. Now Daisy is in town; our work is cut out for us. We have been blessed again. I know she is the right pooch for us.
We first met Daisy on August 29th at the breeder’s home. She was cute as a button. This was not the day that we knew she would be ours. She was so tiny, and she could barely move around. It had been a long time since we had seen a puppy because our last two dogs were rescued, so they came to us full grown.
The next time we saw Daisy was September 14th. She had a lot more hair and was much more significant but still not ready to come home. The little black was offered to us also, but on this visit, Daisy gave me lots of kisses and the black one slept on.
On October 9th, Daisy came home with us, and she met her new family. She wasn’t too shy, and she let everyone pick her up. The boys loved that because Gracie did not like to be held by the boys when she was a pup. I think Daisy and the boys will be best friends. Before too long, both Daisy and Papa were pretty tired, so they went off to bed. Daisy fell right to sleep. Just look how cute and snuggly she was. Unfortunately for her, she got moved into her little crate that night and slept in the bedroom with us. She did amazingly well.
First things first, Daisy learns about grass and potty training. She did fairly well, but she was well over six months before she really understood the entire concept. Now, she is great at it. In November, she went to her first football game. Jaxson just loved carrying her around and then declared her his best friend. I think he related to all his “stuffies,” and she felt like one of them to him. The first road trip was in early December when we visited Chris and Julia in Camden, Maine. Lots of first on this trip. She had a long car ride in her car seat, her first time sleeping in bed with us because she cried in her “pink castle.” Also, first time sharing space with Gus, Chris, and Julia’s dog. She is learning how the outside world works. She did great, though, and loved being with everyone and meeting and greeting people downtown. Her “rock star” life has begun.
Christmas is always busy with lots of people, flying wrapping paper, and little boys full of the Christmas spirit, so we decided it was best for Daisy to spend the day home and enjoy some couch time. She is growing for sure but not at a very fast pace. She is, however, getting cuter and smarter every day. On New Year’s eve, once again, she was home but then again, so were we…our little family of three. She was the best gift from last year. The last photo is Daisy’s first visit to the Salem Willows in January. She is definitely a dog that loves the ocean. That’s good for her because that is where I spend most of my time, and Salem is my hometown, so I visit often. She lets me take photos of her, and she is learning to smile, although you might not have picked up on that. I loved her hair-do back then. Sweetness overload, right there.
Daisy continues to grow and becomes more curious about the world around her. She eats really well and now sleeps through the night in her castle downstairs. We never hear a peep out of her until 7. am. She is so excited about starting her new day when we go down and get her.
She is starting to change and is becoming more like a little dog than a puppy. She finally got a haircut, and in the last photo, taken on her second visit to the beach, she looks pretty cool. She is still only 3 pounds, but that doesn’t bother her, and now she likes to dress up a bit, mostly in pink. She learns new tricks daily and is now pretty much all settled in. She loves it when the doorbell rings and runs to meet all who come here with her tail wagging 90 miles an hour.
Daisy is discovering that not all of New England is her cup of tea. Even with her new down jacket that Uncle Chris got her for Christmas, she is doubtful that she ever wants to go walking in the snow again. She tucked herself in a snowbank, I took the shot, and then she was back in the car, nice and cozy. This shot was taken in Camden, Maine, so she does get around.
Along came March and a warm weather streak, and Daisy was all in for a road trip to the Big Apple. By the time we left, four days later, she had earned her Rock Star status. I’ve had many dogs in my life but never one who attracted as much attention as Daisy. I’ll share a few examples with you here.
Yes, people were a bit crazy about her. We were a bit overwhelmed and really didn’t know what to do, but everyone was so lovely, and Daisy seemed to be enjoying herself and loving all the attention. I figure maybe Daisy is here to be a goodwill ambassador, and if she makes regular people happy, then maybe we are supposed to share her. But these crazy women are getting down on their knees…holy smokes. Daisy also made a friend of her own. I think this might have been the first time she saw a dog her size, and it was a sweet encounter. BTW… Thank god Jim is a patient person…I’m not sure I would have handled all the attention so well.
Sometimes, we would walk on the sidewalks to get away from the crowds. Daisy and Jim are walking along Central Park on our way to 5th Avenue. She was so good, and everyone was good to her.
And yes, sometimes I did get a chance to hold her. She knows I’m good for getting her to rest and snuggle. It was hot, and we had walked for hours, so this bench in Central Park was just what Daisy and I needed. She also takes her water bottle with her wherever she goes. It’s turquoise, not pink.
After a few weeks home, Daisy was on the road again. We went to my son’s apartment in Cambridge and toured this city that we have not spent much time in. Daisy was delighted to be there, and I thought you might like to see how much bigger she is now than in her last photos. She is now eight months old and filling out nicely. She comes from a line of show dogs, so she prances when she walks. Her back legs are a tiny bit longer than her front legs, allowing her to strut her stuff. Yes, she took her first trip to Charles St, which she loved between Cambridge and Boston. I think she knows it’s one of our favorite streets in all of Boston. You might also notice now that we don’t cut her like a poodle. This is the teddy bear cut. So cute, don’t you think? Her little paws do show, though; Jim wanted that. She actually looks like she is wearing pants.
She meets and greets people waiting for coffee at Tatte’s bakery, and then she snuggles up with a shop owner on Charles Street. Everyone wants to pick her up. Cracks me up. Once again, Jim is enjoying himself as her keeper. I think Jim and Daisy would do fine without me. LOL.
Lunchtime, and wouldn’t you know it, Daisy gets to come inside and sit at our table while we have lunch. The owner thought she was adorable and gave us a table with an open window to the street behind us. Daisy sure is getting spoiled. She looked out the window for a while and then settled down on the bench and took a snooze while we ate. She is just super cool in any situation.
After lunch, we took a stroll through the neighborhood of Cambridge, and it wasn’t long before the cleaning crew arrived at a house just as we were passing. Daisy charmed them again. She is really starting to act like a Princess now. The last stop of the day was the bookstore. Jim decided to sit outside with her while I shopped. He needed a break even if Daisy didn’t.
Daisy was happy to be home for a while. She loved having Easter at our house, and she loved the Bartons so much. She even helped the boys do their easter egg hunt. She was slightly disappointed that she didn’t find any of the eggs, but she gave it her best try.
Maybe next year, Daisy, now that you know how it is done. Your running skills are excellent now. I’m sure you will get a few eggs next year, but you need to slow down and take a look. Maybe you are just too fast for the egg hunt.
Oh boy, this was one of her favorite trips of her first year. She had her first plane ride, and she was so good in her crate. She got to stay in a nice hotel with a particular doggie park for her and her fur friends. She also got to go on the beach, which she loved. Great people watching there, and she got to go to almost all the restaurants because of all the outdoor seating. Poolside was her favorite place to be. Lying under the umbrella, chewing on a bone, and having her very own water bowl right by her side. She was in Hilton Head, South Carolina, living her best life.
This is the story of Daisy and one of my favorites from this vacation. She is the Goodwill Ambassador. From one Princess to another, I think they share the same philosophy. Just enjoy each other on the journey. Find friends along the way. Look them in the eye. Wear pink whenever you feel like it, and always be on the same level as everyone else. What a wonderful world it would be if we all spoke through our eyes. Words aren’t even necessary when we respect each other. This little girl was so precious, and they shared a hug when she had to leave.
This was Daisy’s last trip of her first year. Although three days after she turned one, she took her first ferry boat ride to Nova Scotia. I can honestly say she is a great little traveler. She loves every place she goes. She never complains about how long it takes to get there. Perhaps she knows the secret, which is to enjoy the ride because something good is coming your way at the end. She has grown into the most loving and funny dog. She still needs some work, but she has accomplished all the big stuff, and now we are working on the small stuff. She indeed is a gift. Although we still miss Gracie, I think Daisy was the right dog to follow in Gracie’s footsteps.
Where is Daisy now… Well, she is in Maine for most of the summer. Resting up from all her travels and taking a break from learning all the big things. Now she loves sitting on the back of the couch on the screen porch in Maine. She has a great view of the road and of all who come and go. Mostly, she waits for her people to come and visit with her so that she can go out on the boat and play with Jaxson and Liam. Last week she even tried swimming when Chris, Julia, and Gus came. Gus went swimming, so she thought she would give it a try. She did fine, but I don’t think that’s really a good idea. Her cotton candy fur got all matted up, so now she really has a summer haircut. She fits in perfectly with our life. And last week, she finally hit the four-pound mark. We think we will keep her. We love you so much, Daisy Duck. Here’s to more adventure in your second year.
““Money can buy you a fine dog, but only love can make her wag her tail.”
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