Along Came Bailey

First came love, then came marriage and then … along came Bailey. Our story is like many other couples starting out. After all the wedding planning and house buying activities finally died down, it was life back to normal. The slower pace was nice for a while, but then we starting thinking, what now?

I know, let’s get a puppy!

My husband and I quickly set out to find the perfect breed for us. If you Google “dog breeds,” the first breed that appears is the Labrador Retriever. There were certainly other breeds we were considering, but the characteristics of the Labrador stood out the most. According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), they are gentle, intelligent and family friendly, originated from Canada and are the most popular breed in the United States.

Hum… if Labrador’s are the most popular, then they must be amazing dogs! We continued researching and took several unofficial tests like the online quiz “Which dog is right for you?” It was final. We had our hearts set on a Chocolate Lab.

It must have been fate when an old family friend heard we were looking for a Labrador breeder and her son call us the next day. Jer’s Dam Winchester Supreme (Winnie), a seventh generation AKC American Labrador Retriever, had given birth a few weeks prior to a litter of six on Mother’s Day, May 10^th 2010.

And so it was, we found our next adventure. And like many   other first time dog owners, we had no idea what we were getting into.

Miss Bailey Jane has been my joy and pain for two years. My dreams of snuggling with her as a puppy, having an obedient running buddy, taking her to restaurants or having her off leash were quickly put in check. Step 1: make sure the dog can even walk on a leash! As John Grogan, who wrote Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World’s Worst Dog stated, “Sometimes life has a better idea.”

Now, I would never replace Bailey for anything in the world, but there are some things I wish we had known, and there are many topics that need more information online – from real people. During the first year with Bailey, we’ve experienced obedience issues, separation anxiety, food allergies, yeast infections, ear infections and a torn ACL, which lead to TPLO surgery. There were some things we did incredibly well (beginners luck) and others that we failed miserably at (ignorance is not bliss with a smart dog). Through it all, I’ve been extremely thankful for others sharing their experiences. Without real stories, we would just be searching the web and reading numerous definitions, but not real situations.

So here we are, two years later. My husband and I are stronger, smarter and finally enjoying Bailey. She might not be the “typical” Labrador Retriever Wikipedia described, but by learning what works for Bailey, and just learning… she’s has become the perfect addition to our family.

I’ll be sharing all we’ve learned during the past two years, as well as our new adventures ahead! I hope you’ll add to the conversation. The more stories we all share, the better we can help others who might be starting out like I was, completely clueless.

For the past two years, everyone kept telling us, “She just needs a job.” With her love for electronics and my experience, we may have found her the perfect gig, co-author of this blog!