January 6th, 2024: My life changed for the better! After volunteering for a rescue in Colorado for eight years, I was finally ready to dive into puppy motherhood myself. When our landlords suggested we look into Street Dog Hero, I spotted a little pup named "PomPom" (his siblings were also named after Elf characters!). His profile shared he’d been found with littermates, starving under an abandoned house in Warm Springs, OR.

My partner and I made the harrowing three-hour drive from Portland to Bend in my little Honda Civic, braving a historic ice storm. When we arrived, we introduced Otis to Lana, my partner’s older schnoodle—there was lots of tail-wagging on both sides! As soon as I saw him, I knew he was coming home with us.

Here are some photos of Otis’s early months:

From a tiny 10-week-old pup at just 10 pounds, Otis has grown into a 75-pound teenager who loves talking back. I don’t think anyone is ever truly “ready” for a puppy; even after listening to all the podcasts and reading the books, he was still more work than I expected! But all the cuddles are worth it.

Since we adopted him, Otis has graduated from puppy preschool, kindergarten, and even goes to “school” one day a week. I know every mom thinks their kid is the cutest and smartest, but here’s a list of commands he knows:

Sit, Down, Stay, Paw, Other Paw, Spin, Speak, Up, Off, Touch, Guard, Tuck. Next up: Roll over!

Although we didn’t anticipate adopting a puppy with reactivity issues (Otis has major stranger danger), he’s come a long way with lots of patience, professional training, treats, and the support of friends. We recently celebrated his first birthday with a big puppy party! I made banana and peanut butter “pupcakes,” and our backyard filled up with 12 dogs and 15 humans. I think Otis has more friends than I do. Below are some more recent pictures:

Otis

Vyne Medical

Patrick Ta