Sparkles, Showers & Super-Puppy Powers
Tail wags and happy wiggles from me, Shelby II! Can you believe I turned four months old this month? I’m growing fast, learning lots, and oh my goodness—July was jam-packed with “firsts!” Let me tell you—being a growing puppy superhero-in-training is busy, busy, busy!
I kicked things off with my very first Canada Day. My Hooman and I went shopping, where I got to be her fashion helper. Whew, that is serious work for a little pup—sniffing clothes, waiting patiently, and then dozing in the change room while my Hooman tried things on. A few days later came my first Calgary Stampede—and guess what? I even got my own sparkly cowgirl hat. Yep, bling and all. Yeehaw, partner! (tail wiggle, ear flop)
This month also meant my four-month vet visit. I got my vaccinations—yay!—which means I can now go on big walks, meet lots of other pups, and adventure more in the real world. That’s a pretty big milestone for a little pup like me! To celebrate, I had my very first puppy pedicure (thanks, Barking Lot!) and learned the difference between a bath and a shower. (Pro tip: showers are way better. I like to sit there all proud like, “See, Hooman? I can do this too!”)
Oh! And I’m changing every day. My baby teeth are falling out (tiny tooth fairy visits for me, hehe), and my Hooman says I look like a shiny little seal when I slick my ears back.
Training time is soooo fun! Sometimes it’s formal, like when my Hooman sets up obstacle courses in the backyard with stops, stays, perches, jump-ons, heels, sides, and let’s go’s. I zoom through them and then we play to celebrate—because of course, I always do great (heehee, tail thump). But really, I’m always training. Every time I wait for my Hooman to go through a door before me, every time I curl up quietly until it’s time to move, and every time I meet a new hooman or pup politely—I’m practicing being calm and thoughtful. Service pup superpowers don’t grow overnight, but wow, do they grow fast when you practice all the time!
I also got my very first Starbucks PupCup for my Hooman’s milestone birthday (yumslurp!), and we went to a fancy restaurant with service as special as could be. I curled up quietly under the table the whole evening, and at the very end, after the guests had gone, the kind server invited me out to be in the family photo. My first fancy restaurant photo—move over, steak and lobster, I was the star (thanks, Caesar’s Steak House)!
Adventures? Oh, I had plenty! One big “first” was cheering cyclists on at the Enbridge Tour Alberta for Cancer. Uncle Jynx and I had extra tail wags when his Dad Hooman and Team NOV went by during his bike 260 km raising money to “end cancer”! It was super exciting to meet the riders and so many friendly people who wanted to say Hi. My Hooman turned them into a mini training session—if I showed my very best polite manners, they got to pet me. Win-win!
I also got to go across the new Fish Creek walk bridge. The river was rushing below so fast (whoosh, whoosh!) Some pups find bridges a little spooky, but not me—I trotted right across like a champ! And because I’m now fully vaccinated, I can finally go on big walks in the real world! There were soooo many doggie smells and wildflowers along the forested pathway.
And then came my very first professional photo shoot (thanks, Sunny D Productions)! The photographer was soooo patient—she snapped pictures while I ran, played, trained, and cooled off in the grass. My Hooman was over the moon with the results. She said it’s “super hard to take pictures of a black dog without looking like a black blob”… so yay, I’m not a blob! Well done, Sunny D!
At Fur’niversity, I keep practicing my skills and being calm around my PADS puppy classmates. Just imagine: a whole bunch of pups, all wiggly and ready to play. It takes a lot of puppy brainpower to settle down, refocus, and then actually do our training tasks with so many distractions nearby. It’s tough, but each time I manage it, my Hooman’s proud smile makes my tail wag like a helicopter. (whirrr whirrr whoosh)
And of course, after all that hard work, I love my cuddle time! Snuggles with my hooman family = best way to recharge my super-puppy batteries. (flop, sigh, snuggle)
That’s my July! From sparkly cowgirl hats to showers, obstacle courses, polite puppy manners, and photo shoots, I’m learning, growing, and wagging through every adventure. Thanks for following along—your happy thoughts keep me bounding forward, one paw at a time.
Submitted by: Moira Reitsma
