Category: Family

Today we go and collect the newest addition to the Shawtell household; a little puppy Akita I’m naming Daito. 

We have been talking about a new big dog for ages, ever since our beloved Haku passed. He was such a lovely boy, the house just hasn’t been the same without him. Kayto too has been missing the interaction and getting slower without the stimulus.

Having never had my own dog, I’m very keen to take on the challenge. Aimi had Kayto and Haku when we met and of course I’ve had an influence on them but really they are her dogs. She’s so worked so hard training them, they are perfect dogs for us and really well behaved for what we want to do. Giving Daito the correct training is going to be so much easier with her help. Even still, I know it’s going to be a lot of work but I want to do it to learn in depth what its like.

I had been talking about getting a dog for xmas. Partially because i know we will be much better parents than any fuckwit who wants a dog for xmas. So removing one from the market at that time will be almost an act of charity. But also because I’ve been forward planning the work I’ve got in my future and that looked like a “good time” to take on the extra responsibility. 

But really… when is a good time? There is always something going on, especially you guys reading will know I’ve always got something going on. I rarely sit around with nothing to do so there really isn’t a good time, I’ll just have to deal with the changes needed in life as they happen.

Aimi is great at cutting thru this and just getting stuff done. I like to take my time and think about things for a while before taking action, but sometimes that turns into analysis-paralysis. She just gets on with it, so booked us in to see some Akita puppies.

We are choosing an Akita again because from the research and experience we have had, they fit in perfectly to our lifestyle, personalities and check the health boxes we want. They are active and can go a long way but they are still quite independent and don’t mind being quiet. We wanted a big dog because we miss Haku coming up and putting his chin on your knee. And they’re quite intelligent even if they are quite stubborn. But then that seems to be a personality trait I enjoy having married Aimi…

Of course as soon as we had seen the puppies we were trying to choose our favourite one and it didn’t take us long to pick. He’s mostly black with stripes of white at each end and a cute little black spot on his excited little tail. He seemed to be the most energetic of the bunch and inquisitive which, with any luck speaks to his temperament… but he’s only 8 weeks old so time will tell.

Paperwork done and into the car we went, him sitting on my lap. I’m sitting in the back, with space beside me so if Daito prefers space he has it. I’ve got a few towels, with one over my knees, just in case he wees. Of course, in a new place, new sounds, smells, people and movement, it was bound to happen. But that’s ok, solids would have been harder for me to deal with. Being that cooped up with poop would have made me gag.

Arriving home we had it all set up and ready to go. Crate, collars, food, more toys ( even tho kayto had a whole box full he never touches! ). Now the real work begins. I hope we can do it!