Coda Pup Is Two!

Oh. My. Goodness. Peeps. 

How did two years fly by so fast?

What did I do before this tiny little fluff nugget stole my heart and time?

What if I might have lived my entire life without knowing this vast, unconditional fur-baby love?

Our beloved, spoiled, feisty, lovable, insane, infuriating, snuggly, stinking-ADORABLE Coda girl turned two years old, yesterday, and (much like every day of her life) she was indulged and loved up. :)

So many times over the past six months or so, I've wanted to shared a Big Picture Post about life with our pup, but....like most things in life amidst our busy schedules, that post has fallen by the wayside. 

Still. Today of all days, I suppose it's time to share a few of the things that I've learned in the past year with our girl--and, of course, share all the pics in the whole, wide world.

Pup Not Puppy

Okay. I think the most important thing I've learned in the past year, as Coda has aged from a rambunctious (if medically complicated) one year old to a slightly less rambunctious (if still medically complicated) two year old is this:

Most of the advice people give to first time pet owners refers to a dog and not a puppy! Full stop.

Now, at the two year mark, I have the wisdom and experience to know that there is a vast (like, depth and breadth of the ocean, vast) difference between a dog and a puppy, and last year, and most people must block the puppy years out (kinda like child birth, one can assume). So, last Fall, at the one year mark, I still couldn't see the forest through the trees--in a major way.

In fact, despite the loads and GOBS of love I felt for my Coda girl, I wanted to hunt down all those well-intentioned peeps and tell them they were all Liars, Liars, Pants on Fire, if only to keep them from hoodwinking others!

All that talk of dogs who just chill and work within the schedule and temperament of the household? Pfft. Not a chance.

Much like our human children. our Coda pup was never (ever!) self-entertained, always found something naughty to do, had accidents far longer than expected, and don't even get me started on the financial and medical onslaught of her Total Hip Replacement!

https://delappenings.blogspot.com/2024/09/coda-puppys-thr-surgery.html

I always like to say that I jumped off the deep end--and then some!--with my first, beloved pet. But...go big or go home, right?

But now...praise the heavens! I can see the forest through the trees. :)

Sometime around the holidays, (so, about 18 months of age), our girl finally--finally!--started curling up and taking an adorable snooze when someone wasn't available to play with her, and she finally stopped having silly little potty accidents, as well.

Yeah, sure, we still have days and moments when she's a hot mess for any number of reasons. And yeah, sure, we still spend a fortune on vet bills, thanks to her temperamental tummy and ears. And, yup, our girl is still that bougie pup who goes to play with friends a couple times a week to help wear her out. But...it's all so much more manageable.

These days, with a double walk (yup: morning and evening), plus lots of love, attention, compliments, snacks and snuggles, we've settled into a steady routine, and I finally understand what all those amnesiac people were talking about when they raved about how fun and easy it is to have a beloved fur baby. :)

Our girl is scheduled to go to her surgeon in a couple weeks (at the one year mark, post-total hip replacement!) to check on things and ensure her implant is still stable and wonderful, but all signs point to her being the beloved pup who has us wrapped around her finger for years and years (and years!) to come.

And, now...some of my favorite things about my girl, at age two:

1. She loves (loves!) being a passenger princess in the car--except in my lap, of course. Any errand, any, any day, she's here for it. She loves looking around, she loves greeting people at the drive thru, and she loves the joy of our coffee run routine.

2. She's still eight pounds going on 80! Truly, in her mind, I think she believes she can take down any dog, bar none. And, honestly, she's scrappy enough, I bet she could, ha.

3. She still loves her princess perch pillow on the end of the couch. Perfect view and peak coziness.

4. She is a major smuggler at night--to the point that she'll growl at anybody who comes near and tries to relocate her from her snuggle spot on the bed with me, to her crate for sleeping. But don't let her fool you: she loves (loves) the snuggly, safety of her crate, so her nighttime growl is more for dramatic show.

5. If I so much as open the fridge drawer that contains the cheese sticks, she's up and running and expectantly at my feet. My girl LOVES her some string cheese--and the same can be said from some scraps of egg from a Chick-fil-A bacon, egg and cheese biscuit.

6. As much as we love to treat her with tiiiiiiny human scraps of food, she is so. dang. delicate. in the digestive department that we really can't have any true fun. Her treats are all routine and we can't very them up very much--or we're going to end up at the vet.

7. Our girl loves, loves her twice-daily walks so much that launching her for them is pretty much the best part of the day. When we say the magic work, she's jumping and smiling and panting and it's just the cutest thing in the WORLD. Makes it worth all the effort, just to get that endorphin boost.

8. Coda pup has the most hysterical post-bath routine. With her curly, poodle hair, she goes to the groomer once every 5-6 weeks, but in between, I bathe her nearly every Thursday. I'm obsessed with the scent of her shampoo (thank you, Aunt Amber!) and adore when she smells all fresh and looks all fluffy.

But she loathes the hair dryer and is quite the drama queen about it. So she allows me about 60 seconds before I have to lay a towel down on the living room run and let her down this hilarious three-stage drying routine. She starts with rolling around on the rug like a pig playing in mud. Then she vaults to the couch and starts drying herself on the blanket and pillows that live there. Then finished things out with vaulting off the couch and zooming through the room to let her speed air dry her. It's an absolute RIOT--with the added benefit of really wearing her out, ha.

9. She doesn't like it when the ground is wet. And she also doesn't like to swim. She's too bougie to like her paws or her hair wet. Dry and beautiful it is, thank you very much!

10. She has to be the most LOVED dog on the planet--and I think she knows it! She gives as much love as she gets, and I'm just so grateful that she's ours.

I really can't believe I almost lived my life without knowing this very specific, unconditional, incredible love. My girl my have cost us a fortune in medical bills, a heap load of sanity, and definitely takes up a crap-ton of our free time, but...I wouldn't trade her for the world!

Okay. Now for some gratuitous Coda pics!

Coda pup’s first outing to Anthropologie! Yesterday, for her bday. :)

Okay, peeps.

As much as I’d adore posting about 2,748 pics of my girl, I’m still having some technological challenges with my new way of posting, so just enjoy the ones I manage to add and imagine the cuteness of all the others!

More soon, peeps!

Over and out.