Maren’s first Christmas was full of excitement with lots of experiences, new toys, and fun treats. The Christmas tree was her first indication that this was not going to be a normal month. She watched me decorate for as long as she could stay awake, but eventually dozed off and woke to a festively bedazzled house. Maren very quickly learned that all of the decorations were to be viewed with her eyes and not with her nose, mouth, or paws.
PADS Astro and Chorcha gave Maren an Advent calendar so she could count down the days until Christmas. She enjoyed a special cookie every evening for 24 days, and now probably wonders what happened that she no longer gets to carry on this fun tradition.
Maren and I attended the Holiday Hounds event at the YouthLink Calgary Police Interpretive Centre, where she posed with her friends, PADS Bingo, and Santa. She sat nicely for every shot she was in with the children and families who wanted a picture with Santa and the PADS dogs. I was so proud of her! We toured the exhibits and came across the Grinch, who was locked up in a jail cell. We had a chat with him, and he admired Maren from behind bars, agreeing that she was definitely cuter than he. She behaved so well with all of the people who wanted to meet her at the event. There was so much to see and do that it tired her right out, and she slept the whole evening away.
There were many highlights for her this month. She had her first Starbucks pup cup for a special treat after a walk. My family came on Christmas Day, and Maren was overjoyed to see everyone. She had a bit of turkey and thought it was the best thing she’d ever tasted. She received a new stuffed soccer ball and a fish to carry around everywhere she goes. Maren has always been very fond of the cats’ stuffed fish and tried to steal it whenever she could, so now she has her own. She also received a few new collars to grow into that are in keeping with the pretty girl she is. She accompanied us out for breakfast to a restaurant with very small tables, and practiced her ‘go in’ even though there wasn’t much space for her to go in.
I think she would say that her first Christmas was everything she could have wished for.
Submitted by: Tracey
