Audie is finally here!

Excited to get started!

Well folks, the day has come and gone. Our little Audie has finally made it to his permanent home! We embarked on our journey last Friday evening and decided to spend the night in Athens, AL since it was a six hour drive from our house. We could have made it in one go but we would have been so tired we wouldn't have been able to enjoy much once we got back. Plus, it's fun to spend the night away from home once in a while. So we headed out and made it into Athens around 10:00 PM or so. We were dog tired (pun intended) when we got in so we set our alarms and hit the hay.
All things considered (excitement and the threat of bed bugs) we slept pretty well. Around 7:00 AM our alarm went off and we were excited to get ready to head out. However, we realized we were in a different time zone and were actually one hour ahead of what it really was. That was probably one of the longest hours ever. It's like when you are little and waiting for Christmas. You know you need to sleep a little longer but you just can't!! After what felt like days, the hour passed and we started getting ready. We packed in record time and hit the road!

 After just a few months shy of a year waiting, we were actually on our way to pick up our puppy!! I've always been a dog person. Since I was just a little tyke I've always had a dog. I haven't had one since my little yorkie, Pepper, passed away several years back. Pat and I didn't actually think we'd get a dog so soon. We thought we would build our dream home on a big farm first. Then we would have room to let one run, but the urge and want was just too much for us. It also helps to find the movie "Marley and Me" on while you're trying to convince someone to get a dog. That will turn the tides!

Here we are just one mile away from little Audie. Were we really ready for this? Were we about to bite off more than we could chew? So far, we've stayed pretty active in our marriage. Yeah, we're pretty boring sometimes but we do like to travel every now and then or just take off to a friend's house in the evening. Were we ready to give all that up or could we find a way incorporate him into our lives? Too late to turn back now.

We pulled in the drive way of Spin Top Kennel, looked at each other, and I asked,  "Are you ready?". I got a very confident yes and we got out of the car. Not long after David Holt met us. He was thrilled to see us and couldn't wait to get our puppy. We followed him over to the kennel where he left us waiting in front of a gate. We were looking around at all the grown dogs. They were doing so well. None of them were barking. They were just standing and curiously watching David as he walked through the kennel. David rounded a corner out of sight. How big would Audie be? Huge?! Tiny? Would he like us? Would he travel well? Would he like his new home? Then, David came back around the corner holding Audie under his arm. He was such a handsome pup! He didn't bark or wine. David sat Audie down and he immediately started sniffing around. It didn't take him long to find us and we were instantly in love with him. His little, stubby tail was wagging as fast as it could go. He was jumping up and down, licking and sniffing and letting us love on him.

We all walked back over to the car to take care of the final paperwork. David talked with us a long time about good ways to train bird dogs. He was such a great help and made us very comfortable. David is a fine person. He really went out of his way to help us find a puppy and I think he found the perfect one. The whole time we were talking, Audie was snooping around. He never barked or cried. He didn't wander too far away from us. We could always see him. He played with leaves and jumped on unsuspecting grass. He was a happy puppy.

The time came to leave. We loaded him up, put some new toys in the crate, and set off for home. Now the moment of truth and the key to our sanity for the six hour drive home. Would he wine the whole way back? He only cried for about 10 minutes after we left, then settled on down for a nap. Perfect!! Who could ask for anything better?! You wouldn't have even known he was there.
We drove a while and then stopped to get some previsions. We hadn't gotten any food for him yet so we stopped at a near by Publix (I so wish they would put one in KY! We just love it!) and got us some lunch, complete with puppy food. When I came back out Pat let Audie out for a walk on the thin strip of grass in front of the car. For the 15 minutes I was gone he said there were tons of people who stopped to pet him and drove by oooh and awing at how cute he was! I immediately swelled up with pride. Yeah, that's my pup. Back in the crate he went and he took it like a champ.

We stopped at a big rest area for lunch and play time. Even there we were stopped a time or two so people could pet him. Audie's little nose sure got it's workout there. He sniffed of everything! Even attacked branches twice his size! He's so brave. And he sure knows who is buddy is. He and Pat made in instant connection.  After we got him good and tired, we set off for home.

Audie loves his Pupaw

After hours of travel time and a few more stops, we were getting closer to home. We stopped by the in-laws to swap vehicles and let Audie run without the leash. The cat that abides there was less than thrilled to see a little pup running around the place but Pat's parents were eager to meet him. Audie is their second grand-dog. As you can see they took right up with him.

After some visiting time, we loaded up and headed home. We pulled in the drive way, picked him up out of the crate, and let him run around at his new home. His first encounter was with the two little cats Dad keeps in his barn. They were pretty hungry and were out scouting around. They are very friendly and when they came up to rub on Pat's leg they got a big surprise! As soon as Pat moved out of the way and they saw Audie they went running into the near by bushes! I think it scared Audie a little too. That didn't stop him from sniffing and exploring though. That little nose and legs were going a mile a minute. When we took him inside it was the same thing. We unloaded all his things and gave him the grand tour of his new home.
We all settled down in the living room to play and it was wonderful. We were all so happy to be together in our home. Our little family. Look how cute he is!

He already has two favorite toys. This rope and a squeaky duck. It only took one time to show him his dog bed and now that is exactly where he goes when he's out of his crate. He loves it!

The next day we got to hang around the house playing and working on house training. He played and slept and seems really happy. We've loved having him with us.

Yesterday was his first day of work as a partner at the Trent Law Office. He really had his nose to the grind. He'll be covering a lot of ground this way.

Hard at work!

Audie gets better at potty training everyday and even tries to play with the cats. He's getting more used to us and his new home. We are adapting pretty well too. It's a big change. It's like looking after a baby but we are ready to make the transition (not a baby just yet). We love our little Audie and everyday we have spent with him so far. I'll keep you updated on new things and his progress. We're just glad he's finally here!

Jess