My Side Of The Story:

While every other blog is posting about the best of 2014 or resolutions for 2015, I've been stuck in the house helping take care of an 8-week-old golden doodle puppy, so who has time to make lists and embed links about what the hot nail polishes and lipsticks for 2015 are going to be or why you should be wearing midi instead of mini skirts? (Btw, lots of people are pushing the midi length skirt for 2015, but don't be so quick to buy into it. A skirt should fall either above or at the knee to flatter. The other option is to the ankle or long to the floor. Otherwise, that skirt will end up making your legs look short and stubby. And nobody wants that.)

Now back to the puppy...His name is Louie - after my mother's father Luigi - and he's from the Perfect Puppy RI. Before you go judging me, just know that my previous dog, who just passed away about a month ago, was a rescue dog from a shelter in Tennessee and I'd been planning to adopt another rescue until my nieces, Brianna and Nicole, fell in love with this little guy online. This may actually be one of the most successful online love matches I've had the opportunity to witness firsthand.

So, he's not really my dog, but he might be someday - if my nieces get tired of potty training him. LOLz. And he does require a lot of training and care. Right now, Louie's learning to pee and poop outside (still a work in progress), to NOT chew on furniture or shoes (#StopChewingMyJimmyChoos) or us (Don't be fooled by that cute face, his teeth are razor sharp! He's like a little piraña for Pete's sake.) and how to walk on a leash. Among other things.

While I do want to encourage you to save rescue dogs from shelters and have dogs as pets because they're fantastic friends/companions, just know that owning a puppy is hard work! Long hours. A serious long term commitment. Don't enter into it lightly or without doing your homework. Translation: Training, or in my case, even helping to train a puppy, is EXHAUSTING.

Nicole's Side Of The Story:

How could anyone NOT fall in love with this face?

My sister and I were on Instagram a few weeks ago and we came across this picture of a golden doodle. We saw it and instantly fell in love. I begged my Uncle Bob to get the dog. After his "maybe in the spring" response, my sister and I went ahead and called the Perfect Puppy anyway to put down a deposit. #SorryNotSorry

When we picked up the pup, we brought him right over to my grandma's (Can't say we weren't afraid of my Uncle Bob's and my mom's reactions. Both were VERY anti-getting-a-puppy!), the whole family instantly fell in love with him, especially my grandma. She actually said she's glad we bought him. #WinkyFace

We named him Louie. He's definitely a gift to our family - My Grandma now asks about Louie before she asks about anyone else. Little Louie (as I like to call him) is definitely spoiled with love and tons of toys from PetCo. He's also a big celebrity at Garden City (Shopping Center).

Louie's friend Enzo the GoldenDoodle, who looks like he's about to enjoy a delicious pizza here... — Louie's friend Enzo the GoldenDoodle, who looks like he's about to enjoy a delicious pizza here...

But Wait, There's More:

Since I won't be adopting a shelter dog any time soon (Louie and Duke the Husky are frequent visitors to my house and 2 dogs are enough for ME.), I plan on donating to one or more local shelters - partly out of extreme guilt and partly because the work they do is so important. (There are millions of unwanted dogs and cats in the US alone.)

Life With Louie

My Side Of The Story:

Nicole's Side Of The Story:

But Wait, There's More:

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