14 Things at 14 Months

Last month I missed Kyle's post because it was Christmas Eve, and he was with a puppy sitter. I hated spending the holidays away from my boy, but GDB puppies aren't allowed to leave the puppy raising states. Thus, West Virginia was a no go. Sorry Kyle.

This post is a really hard one to write because it means I only have one more "guaranteed" month left with Kyle. Anything past 15 months is a bonus with GDB puppies. My leader thinks Kyle will be with me a bit longer than that, but I'm not sure if she is just saying that because her puppy, Sugar, should be recalled with Kyle. Before I start worrying about a potential month of "lasts," here are 14 things that make Kyle amazing.

1: Kyle got glowing reports from his puppy sitters over Christmas. They were sweet enough to send me daily picture texts to show his good behavior and keep me from missing him too much.

2: Kyle has great mastery of his basic commands. The only one he doesn't know is stand, but he started learning it this weekend.

3: We've spent a lot of effort on the "go to bed" command recently, and it is now one of his favorite pastimes. He'll even hold it (most of the time) when company is over.

4: Hide-and-go-seek is one of my new favorite pastimes. I love hiding behind the shower curtain, on the kitchen counter, and in the utility closet and waiting for Kyle to find me after I holler "come." He's persistent at looking until he finds me, and his face is adorable as he thinks and searches.

5: Kyle loves to go to work. When we get to my classroom each morning, he enthusiastically runs to his bed with a wagging tail. He voluntarily stays there until the early students show up for a morning tug session.

6: Along the same lines, Kyle has won over the hearts of an entire high school. My students love him. He's so dependable that I let students take him for walks, they relieve him in the middle of the day, and they watch him in the library and computer lab so that I'm free to wander and help. Kyle is a service dog ambassador for so many teenagers.

7: Kyle behaves better for other people than he does for me. While in Idaho he responded to corrections from my sister Kassie to quit barking better than he responded to me. That might seem like a weird thing to be proud of...but it was a good opportunity to see Kyle's real abilities. No more Ms. Nice Guy from me now. :)

8: It took four days of playing in a fenced yard, going for walks, and several of outings, but I managed to wear Kyle out for the first time in forever. It can be done! Seriously, Kyle needs a partner who never stops because he's the energizer puppy.

9: Nothing has changed in the cuddling department. Kyle still loves to be touching me 24/7. It's pretty much a given now that Kyle will never outgrow sitting in my lap. I hope he gets a partner who enjoys that habit because I do nothing but encourage it.

10: An eye infection spread throughout our puppy club this month. Kyle never fussed about his eye drops and actually loved having his eyes cleaned with a warm cloth.

11: Kyle loves to chew. One of his Christmas presents was a new sterilized bone. He already wore it out and needs a replacement. Yikes! With that said, Kyle has never chewed anything that he shouldn't. For a dog that loves to chew, that is amazing. I love that I have always been able to trust Kyle in that department.

12: If Kyle had a report card, he'd get an A+ for plays well with others. In the past few months, Kyle's played with several different dogs. With each encounter, he adjusts his play style to one that will make the other dog happy.

13: While we were in Idaho, we attended church with my sister Kassie. Every cute guy in the congregation had to meet Kyle afterward. I cannot remember the last time I've met so many attractive men in the same day. Thank you Kyle for your help in that department. ;)

14: Kyle wins the heart of everyone around him. Even my non-dog loving friends think Kyle is pretty terrific. Most importantly though, Kyle has me wrapped around his paw. I love this dog!