Charlotte Is Here!!!

Ladies and Gentlemen....
It is our esteemed pleasure...
To introduce to you....
The newest member of the Vann household...

Charlotte Autumn Vann!!!

That's right folks...it has been a long time waiting, but we finally have our dog! Some of you may be scratching your head intensely, wondering if what you are reading is a joke. After all...this is Andi right??? The girl who doesn't even like dogs. The girl who would just walk on by a puppy without a mere glance. The girl who took 2 years to adjust to the fact that her mom has a dog and that petting her might be a good idea. Well, I am here to say that it is not in fact a joke.
It all started around this time last year with a letter in the mail from my mom. Attached was a photo copy of a "mop head" dog and a note saying "I think you two should get one of these." I laughed it off and shook my head at her persistence. After all...her getting a dog was a shock to all of us...we never had animals in the house growing up...in fact, my dad used to throw gravel at the neighbor cats who tried to poop in our driveway - talk about reinforcing the fact that domestic animals are bad. I told myself, no way would we get a dog. They are expensive, they poop, they shed, they are an inconvenience and they tear apart your house. Nick reinforced this fear last Christmas by surprising me with a puppy. A fake puppy of course, but due to my response, he was more than relieved that it was a test rather than the real thing.

Come early summer, I started singing a different tune. Nick and I began talking more about what would it mean for our family to get a dog. I liked the idea of having a permanent running partner...a companion throughout the day as I worked at home...a cheery creature to greet you at the door no matter what the day had brought you, what the weather was like or how you felt at that moment. A dog started to sound really, really good. So we investigated and turns out that my mom was right...a "mop head" was quite appropriate for our family. More formally named a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, it carried all the characteristics that fit us to the T. First and foremost, Wheatens have hair not fur...so no shedding. Secondly they are extremely physical animals so enjoy running, biking and just plain being outside. Very apropos for the Vann's. Thirdly, they are smart dogs...hard headed yes, but completely loyal (some (Nick) may describe me being like that). They are active when we are active and chill when we are chill. And lastly, they are friendly...greeting all people and other dogs with an excited hello. That was enough to convince me it was time to start looking.

In mid-July we stumbled upon a breeder in Everett and met 3 of her pups. They were adorable and at the perfect age for adoption, but due to bad timing (remember last summer was the busiest time of my life), we decided to wait it out.

In October, we decided to give it another whirl and were extremely disappointed to find that most Wheaten breeders in the Washington/Vancouver, BC area had litters in the Spring. Even more so disappointing, our back up, the breeder we met during the summer originally planned on having another litter in December, decided not to put valiant efforts in impregnating her female Wheaten due to her increasingly busy schedule. We even went as far as considering having a puppy shipped to us from the mid-west, where they seem to be in abundance. After deciding that we are not in support of what could have been a puppy mill, we moved on. If God wanted us to have a dog, then God would deliver a dog.
He did...through my mom. During their last visit up here, my mom, with all her Internet savvy skills found an add in the Seattle Times listing Wheaten puppies. She passed along the number and I chatted with the breeder that very night. After a 20 minute interview (the breeder questioning me on the conditions of our home, yard and lifestyle) we decided that we should meet the pup and see if we were a good fit. We met up with her and the pup on Sunday night on our way home from Ridgefield in Bellevue. As it turns out, this is the one and only time she bred her Wheaten. She said that it is a lot of wear and tear on the mother, plus a lot of work for her to take care of the pups. Due to the owners care and attachment to the pups, she insisted on meeting the potential owners AND viewing their home before allowing the transaction to occur. Well...tonight was the night that Nick and I learned we passed the test. Charlotte was hand delivered after a thorough evaluation of our fence, kennel (thanks Diana!) and bushes that acts as the barrier between us and the freeway. We signed the contract, got the papers and was handed our puppy.

Tonight has been completely dedicated to showing our new puppy the digs and at the same time, reading fervently through the How to Raise a Puppy book (again...thank you Diana) to ensure we are doing everything right. We are happy to say that she has already had a successful pee outside. And believe me for the anal, by-the-book-when-it-comes-to-new-and-unknown-things me, this is a big deal. I would say Charlotte is adjusting well to our home. She slides around a lot on the hardwood floors chasing from one toy to another. We can tell equal time spent with Nick and I is important as she scurries over to Nick for a hello and belly-rub then back to me for a hello and a face-lick. She likes it best to be sandwiched between the two of us while sitting on the floor, but mostly she is content if we are in eye site. They say that the first night away from their mom is the toughest. We will find out very soon. I predict lots of whining in her crate next to us and every ounce of my body wanting to put her in bed with us. But alas...the puppy book says no, so I too have to say no.
The first few days are a big adjustment for the pup...afterall...we ripped her of the home that all she knew and is now living with 2 strangers. But, by this weekend, I am sure she would love a visitor or two. So please feel free to stop by anytime this weekend to say hello. We want her comfortable around people and need you to help her get there!