1 Year of our Hollow Puppy

I know I said that I would recap our BBQ experience today, but I realized yesterday that we have an anniversary/birthday to celebrate today, so BBQ will have to wait until tomorrow....I promise.

Today we're celebrating this little guy:

Today we have officially had our sweet Hollow pup in our lives for an entire year.  To think we've had him for an entire year is nuts.  It certainly doesn't seem that long.  But one year ago today a little scruffy pup and his sister came tearing through our backyard trying to play with Hawk and Peanut.  They'd been hanging around for a little while when Eric, not me ERIC, suggested we feed them.  I asked him if he was sure about it because everyone (except for my husband apparently) knows that if you start feeding a dog they usually don't leave.  I reminded him that once I get attached to something I don't let it go easily so I asked him one more time if he was sure he wanted to feed them......

That night they got a rug under the carport to sleep on and from then on they greeted me at the back door every morning waiting for their breakfast.  After they ate they'd take off and play in the woods all day, but they were usually lounging in the yard when I got home every evening.  We eventually started letting them inside in the evenings, but they always slept curled up together in their "house" in the carport.  This went on for about 5 months until Hollow's sister was hit by a car one day (she had a bad habit of chasing cars).  That day Hollow came inside for good.

Hollow curled up with his sister.  This was right after they started hanging out at the house.  

I am not saying that it's been easy on any of us.  His affinity for chewing up remote controls and the occasional shoe was nearly his demise.  But he always manages to win us over again with his crazy antics and his puppy snuggles.  I think he has been good for Hawk and Peanut, too.  They are both turning 6 this year which is middle age for dogs and having a puppy around the house seems to have increased their energy or at least their willingness to play.

We still have a way to go with our silly little boy.  He's still not comfortable with anyone besides Eric or I getting close to him, but we are seeing improvements.  I am pretty sure that if I was able to socialize Peanut, I will be able to succeed with him.  We've gone from hiding in the bedroom when people are over to playing in the living room with Hawk and Peanut while people are over.  I think it's only a matter of time before he will realize that people want to love on him.  Once Peanut figured out that people only wanted to love on him and scratch his belly he never looked back.  My once shy fur-child will now go up to random people at my house and bark at them so they will pick him up and pet him.

So to our hyperactive, food snarfing, somersault rolling, under the cover-sleeping, cuddle-loving, tv-watching, burrowing, daredevil, Hollow-Man.  We love you so much and we're so glad you decided to let us be your family.

Never a dull moment with this one!