I adopted Smokey on November 21, 2009 at a North Shore Animal League event sponsored by friend and designer John Bartlett. At the time, I was told Smokey was nine weeks old, making his birthday somewhere around September 15, 2009. But a mid-December visit to the vet confirmed that he had his adult teeth in the front, making him about a month older than previously thought [birthday probably around August 15, 2009].
Smokey’s a black lab mix with white fur on his chest and chin, and has a most winning personality. He makes my day on a daily basis.
In this section of the blog, I’ve been documenting my life with him, sharing weekly updates on what’s been going on and how he’s growing and progressing.
He’s a pretty normal pup, and loves his toys, his walks, the dog parks, people and other dogs and, of course, his first love: food (or anything that appears remotely edible).
As any devoted dog owner would say, he has become an integral part of my everyday. There is nothing like having the responsibility of a little life that is totally dependent on me, shifting the focus of a former life that revolved completely around myself and taking me and my concerns in a completely different direction.
I’m loving every minute of this ride. As I’ve said, the ownership of a dog makes it no longer “all about me.” There is someone else to consider here… this innocent and sweet little guy who needs my love and attention every day.