Gator

I've come to realize that Royal is part alligator.

See the resemblence?

That's Royal on the bottom.

During his first week home, our trainer gave him the name 'furry alligator' because of his tendency to snap.....at fingers, noses, toys.....anything really. And although he hasn't bitten anyone or anything in months, the name has stuck. He'll always be my 'gator'.

But it wasn't until summer that I realized just how much 'gator' Royal has in him.

Despite his rocky introduction to swimming, Royal has taken to the water like....well....a gator.

He absolutely loves it....we literally can't keep him out of the water.

Royal was born to be a gator.

Bye Bye Manhood

Hello horribly miserable puppy.

My poor, pitiful puppy.

This is Royal on the way home from surgery, still drugged out of his sweet little mind.

The same puppy who usually can't help but 'excitement pee-pee' from the sheer joy of seeing my husband or I after being separated for more than 5 minutes.....had no idea who the heck I was.

What have they done to my baby??

Sleepy Faces

Royal tends to wear his heart on his sleeve.


When he's tired, its written all over his pretty little face.


Of course, I find this incredibly cute.

So much so, that I continually annoy him by taking pictures when he's trying to fall asleep.



'Excuse me, I'm trying to sleep woman.'

Ok....maybe that's enough.

Cousins

This past weekend we finally got a chance to take Royal to my parents' lake house....aka Vizsla heaven.

My brother was also there with his two Vizslas, Major and Colt. Up until this weekend Royal had never met his big cousins, and it was a much anticipated introduction.

This is Major. He loves to swim and can be a little territorial about 'his' lake, but we love him anyways.

Colt, on the other hand, does not like to swim. He prefers to spend his time chasing shadows.

Although you'd never guess it, Major and Colt are actually brothers from the same litter.

And since its always just been the two of them visiting the lake, we were a little worried about how they would react to the addition of a new puppy. Especially given said puppy's tendency to test older dogs' patience.

The first few hours were tense, but in the end, Royal became a (somewhat) accepted member of the lake clan.

I think its going to be an interesting summer =)

What's in a Name

Anyone who has spent any time at all with my husband or I, knows we have a special place in our hearts for Longhorn Football.

What can I say, its true love.

So naturally we had our puppy's Longhorn-themed name picked out long before he graced this great state with his presence.

Royal is named for the most winningest coach in Longhorn Football history, the one and only....the man, the myth, the legend....Darrel K Royal.

And, yes, our puppy bleeds orange.

When Dad Comes Home

This is what happens every night when my husband comes home from work....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f11qiCNRVxw

While my iPhone video app doesn't exactly capture the raw emtotion of these reunions.....please rest assured.....it's quite intense.

Watching these two reunite and act like they haven't seen each other for months will never get old.

It's my second favorite moment of each day....next to, of course, when I come home to my little alligator.

The Help

Royal was a big help during the move.

"This one's clear, guys!"

"Look....it's not what you think."

"Seriously, mom......I'm helping."

"Ok....fine.....I'm coming, I'm coming."

Yup....lots of help.

Busy, Busy

It's been a busy week for us.

On Saturday we move into our new house. We can't wait for Royal to see his new home and yard!

And we'll be living very close to our good friends, Wason and Winnie.

Royal loves playing with Wason and Winnie!

But first, I have to pack......which means these little 'chewies' have become in invaluable.

They occupy my little puppy for at least 15 minutes.



Which, coincidentally, is about how long I'm willing to dedicate to packing on any given day.


I think it's going to be an interesting move.

Velcro Dog

We are quickly learning why Vizslas are sometimes referred to as 'velcro' dogs.

If Royal is awake, he is either a) in your arms, b) in your lap, or c) under your feet. If you get up, even for a brief second, Royal gets up with you.

Several times I've found myself looking around the room for my little puppy only to find he's standing patiently between my feet, waiting for me to make my next move.

What are we doing Mom?

And since we have such an easygoing companion, we have taken Royal just about everywhere with us.

He's gone to Eatzi's for lunch, Taco Diner for dinner, Lowes, the local pet store and Pinkberry. He's quite the fixture in Uptown Dallas.

He even watches How I Met Your Mother with Dad on the couch....

I am sure there will come a day when his separation anxiety will become the bane of my existence. But for now, I find this incredibly endearing.

The Duck

About a week ago, my husband and I went shopping for little Royal. We bought food, treats, a bed, leash, collar, and of course a variety of toys.

Being that this is my first puppy, I wanted everything to be perfect.

So, I must admit, I was a little turned off when my husband picked out this toy duck.





Don't get me wrong, its a fine toy. Its stuffing free, it squeaks, it meets all the basic requirements for my 'rambunctious' pup.




Its just, well, its ugly.



I mean since when do ducks come in leopard print?? Or is it camo?





And there were so many better, more aesthetically pleasing, options. There was a squirrel, a raccoon, a cute little mouse. But no, my husband insisted on the duck.


And naturally, this is my pup's absolute most favorite toy in the whole world.




He carries it everywhere.



He's such a boy.

The Retriever

Not surprisingly, our little Vizsla loves to retrieve any and every thing.

Its his favorite game.

I got it, Dad!

And, without fail, he brings his prize back to one of us.

Usually, in a hurry...

Time cannot be wasted.

Once this prize has been secured he likes to curl up in our lap and kill, maim or otherwise destroy the prize.

A little vigorous shaking, gnawing on the head, maybe a growl or two. And then its time to start the whole process over.

Our Buddy Nacho

On Saturday Royal had his first playdate with Nacho, a one year old Shih-Tzu and close friend of ours. This was our first time to see our 'playful' pup interact with a new dog. And let's just say he isn't shy.

First, quick pleasantries were exchanged...

Wanna play?

Royal made the first move by grabbing a mouthful of fur....

Then, without warning, our 8 week old puppy pounced!

Nacho, it seems, did NOT want to play.

He did, however, quietly humor our enthusiastic pup.

Cause that's what friends our for. Right?

(I sure hope Nacho is still our friend)

And, about fifteen minutes into our playdate.....

Being a puppy is exhausting!