I’m no longer saying “same old stuff” when someone asks, “What have you been up to lately?” I’m now saying, “We got a puppy!”
Was this the plan? Had we been looking and searching for the right dog for months? No. But my partner and I tend to make big life decisions on the fly, so deciding one Friday night to go pick up a 10 week old puppy on Sunday tracks for us.
Meet Butters!
Born March 10, Butters is a Golden Retriever/Mini Goldendoodle Mix. Golden Retrievers are my favorite (my first child was a Golden), so when this little gem popped up we snagged him.
Why the name Butters? So many reasons, but my partner Alex is a big South Park fan and he suggested the name. Which is perfect because on the show Butters has an alter-ego named Professor Chaos, which seems to fit our little Butters as well. LOL
Spiritual lessons of puppy-hood
For those of you who have gotten a dog as a puppy, you know they bring a lot of feelings to the family. Love, happiness, adoration, frustration, exhaustion, even physical pain (those little teeth are SHARP!). While different than a human baby, puppies are babies in their own right and there are many similarities that I recall from bringing home my little Baby Burrito 10 years ago.
- Lots of sleeping
- Lots of chewing/teething
- The witching hour
- Potty training
- Snuggling
- Teaching/guiding/training
- Setting and sticking to a daily schedule
- Grace & patience that your day may not go as planned
Inviting this new energy into our family has been a way to invite spirituality into our lives in a new way. Life changes and evolves. Keeping our hearts open and having compassion for beings who are learning and growing at their own pace reminds us that while we are experts in some areas we are novices in others, and we can learn from those we teach. Even puppies!
Butters has pulled me into the present moment more, but has also shaken up my spiritual practice routine. When I would have meditated, I am getting up at 5:30 am to let him out. Instead of getting frustrated that I can’t do my meditation and self-reiki, I’m finding other times within my day to practice and giving myself grace if I miss a few days in this moment of adjustment.
My family has gotten into a routine over the years and to see us coming together in a different way to love and care for this little bundle of fur has been a lovely experience of deeper family connection. I appreciate the gifts and challenges Butters has offered us already.
Moving forward
As our life with a fourth member of our family settles into place, I will keep my eyes and heart open for the lessons he will teach us and the ways we will evolve as a family. Dexter taught me a lot in his 13 years and I know Butters will do the same. Just as Kyle and Alex do each day.
P.s. What is your favorite puppy treat, toy or training tool?