Brady Meets Another Family Member

Brady was officially 9 weeks old on Saturday, January 23.
Our daughter, Marissa, came home for the weekend. She is also a dog-lover and goes particularly nuts over puppies, especially the golden-doodle type.
It's so important that puppies be socialized early and often. Brady met about six new people in the course of a few days. Since he can be shy, this wasn't always easy.


Here is a photo of Brady bonding with his newly introduced human "sister".

Brady is used to us being very gentle and quiet with him. Additionally, his mother, Sophie, is a relatively subdued dog (except when she's tackling stray pups) who rarely barks. When she wants to go outside, she rings a ribbon of bells by pawing them.
Imagine Brady's surprise when Marissa's friend, Kristin dove at him and gave out a sort of warrior cry as he sat in his dog bed. Brady let out this sort of mangled, astonished bark and went running to me for cover.
By evening's end, Brady was happily sleeping in Kristin's arms. In fact, we all took turns holding him as he slept peacefully. Every one of us needed our "puppy fill".

It is my hope that as he's exposed to lots of different people and pets, he'll grow more adaptable so that I can take him practically anywhere without worrying he'll be like a fading violet.

He bonded with Marissa immediately- it's like her voice and way of being seemed familiar to him the moment she approached his crate and said,
"Hiiiiii, Braaaady!", his curved, downy tail was all waggy and he smiled, his little black lips upturned at the corners. When she sat on the floor, he curled up on her lap, knowing he was going to get a warm snuggle.
Of course, the pup made an impression. By the time the weekend was over, and we dropped Marissa to the airport, she seemed melancholy to be leaving Brady. The little guy just wiggles his way into your head and you can't help but think about him and long for his shiny black eyes, filled with the excitement and anticipation of each moment.
I once had a High School English teacher who referred to such things as "life affirming".
From time to time, you need a life-affirming moment.
Brady was still in utero during those first few weeks in November when we were bracing for a frigid winter as the last of the leaves fell from the Maple tree in our front yard.
Now, in the midst of this damp, icy cold complete with bare trees and hidden patches of brown matted grass, Brady offers life-affirming moments through warm puppy kisses-