He’s an 8-week old Havanese, white with gold and black colorings.  We picked this particular breed because they are supposedly not yappy, they’re easy to train, hypo-allergenic and their small size is perfect for us.

We’ve gotten flack for picking a ‘lap dog’ or a ‘toy dog’.  Some think they’re fake dogs because of their small size.  But we don’t want a dog that will take over the house, or one who will knock us over when greeting us at the door.    Just because they are small doesn’t mean that they are less of a dog.  Just because they are small doesn’t mean they won’t give us big love.

We picked the name LEO.

A few reasons…

1. Astrologically speaking, Leo is his zodiac since he was born August 12.
2. King Leonidas – a strong, loyal, passionate and humble leader.
3. Leonardo da Vinci – a genius.
4. Corleone – infamous family from Mike’s all-time favorite movie.
5. And most importantly, the name Leo fits him more so than any other name that we considered.

(Our lawn guy’s name is Leo too.  I hope he doesn’t mind that it’s what we decided to call our pup. )

All week, we’ve been preparing for his arrival.  We bought food and water bowls, a few chew toys, some treats, a gate… all good stuff.  We’ve also been preparing ourselves emotionally and psychologically by doing more research on how to raise puppies, Havanese in particular.  We don’t want to mess up.

We are excited and anxious at the same time. Both Mike and I have never had dogs of our own.  I’ve lived with a few dogs in the past, and cared for two.  But I’ve never had one to really call my own.  Mike on the other hand was huge on being anti-house pet.  He used to believe that animals belong outside.  With time and more exposure to these wonderful critters, he started to have a change of heart.  When he met Leo for the first time, he fell in love.

I hope that we measure up to the responsibilities that lie ahead.  I hope that we are granted the patience, selflessness and the wisdom that we’ll need to raise a puppy.  I hope that Leo is blessed with a generally good disposition and health.

Tonight, our lives will change.

I look forward to discovering untapped characteristics and instincts within ourselves that only the experience of dog-owning can possibly unlock.  And of course  I look forward to the gift of his company and all the joy he’ll bring.