Maggie was my first puppy. We adopted her from a local rescue agency when she was 12 weeks old. My husband and I knew that we wanted a puppy, but we really didn't know what kind. We went from one shelter to another but never felt a connection with any of the pups there. Then we stumbled upon Maggie, sleeping quietly in her kennel while the rest of the dogs barked to get our attention.
We scooped Maggie up and adopted her before anyone else had the chance. She was definitely part cocker spaniel and part something else. Maybe a Golden retriever? Looking back, my husband and I probably didn't do as much research as we should have in preparation for a puppy. But I read every book about puppies that I could get my hands on. It was then that I discovered the wit and wisdom of Ian Dunbar and fell in love with animal behavior.
During our first trip to the local vet hospital for puppy shots I was asked by the receptionist if I knew of anyone interested in working part-time at the clinic. Lucky me! I started working there the next day and my career in veterinary medicine began. If it wasn't for Maggie I have no idea where I'd be today. Certainly not sitting here writing a blog about puppy training!
Maggie is now seven years old and she is one of the best dogs I know. I still can't believe how lucky we were to have found here that day. Maybe it's partly genetic--but I can only hope that my husband and I played a large part in training her to be the good dog that she is today. I also think that Maggie was lucky enough to have foster parents that understood the importance of puppy socialization.
My hope is that all puppies can be as lucky as Maggie. Too many end up being shuffled around just because their owners are not informed about how to train them properly. That's just not fair.
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