The Beginning

This Blog is an effort to answer the question, "Why?" that I was repeatedly asked when I informed friends and coworkers that Ron, my husband, and I were going to get a puppy. More specifically a Chesapeake Bay Retriever puppy. We will pick up the puppy on Tuesday, June 9th. I start the blog today because the story does not start on June 9th. It starts in the spring of 1999, or maybe the autumn of 1979. At least that is where I will begin.

You probably noticed this not a picture of a Chessie. It is our cherished first born, Sara, who along with her little brother, Ryan, monopolized twenty years of our lives. We had a full life band competitions, softball, baseball, soccer, swimming, whiz kids, track - you get the picture. Then, in the late summer 1998 we drove to State College, PA and spent the night in a seedy motel. It was best described by my husband's canny observation that he would have gotten a better night's sleep if he had slept on his dirty underwear instead of the pillow they provided.

The only reason we spent the night and didn't drive home was we were there to deliver #1 child to Penn State University. Another insightful observation by her father, "Did you notice how she did not look back?"

I noticed that Dad was having a little difficulty adjusting to only

one child and to make matters worse; the family dog, Lady, seemed to be hanging on for our sake. I started doing some research. I was looking for a dog that would be a companion to a guy who liked to be outdoors, loved to hunt and fish. A dog that might fill a little bit of the empty left by a little girl becoming an independent woman. I searched the internet and found the perfect dog, a Chesapeake Bay Retriever,

Ron did not jump on board immediately. He thought a Golden or Labrador would be a better choice and besides Lady was too old to deal with a puppy. Chessie's had a reputation for being territorial and possibly aggressive. I knew he had a lot of love to give and would not raise an mean dog.

Some people have referred to me as a Bulldog and not only because I am from Wesleyville. I am sure they were alluding to my persistence. As you can see, I was persistent.

This is Nikki. Our first Chessie. Our son picked her out of a large litter and she stole our hearts. Our first born came home from Penn State for summer break just in time to take her to puppy preschool. Nikki learned that if she would sit, lay down, and heel when we wanted her to we would give her a treat. If she didn't, we would laugh and say she was, "Sara's dog."

In closing, I do have to say Ron was wrong. Lady perked up when we brought the puppy home. We all believed it added at least 6 months to Lady's life. She loved that puppy, so they were a happy six months. It also made the decision to put our blind, hard of hearing, and slow to move Cocker Spaniel to sleep after 15 sweet years as a family dog a little easier.