Meet Roxie

It has come to my attention that I haven't officially introduced you all to the newest member of the Galloway family. We are pleased to present Miss Roxie Rhubarb Galloway. We actually got her back in late November 2013 as an early Christmas gift to our kiddos. They had been campaigning for a dog for months, dare I say years. Mike grew up with dogs, mostly boxers like our Roxie, but I have never in my life owned a dog. I have always grown up in a house with multiple cats, so having a dog for a pet was intimidating to me. However, I did some research, talked to friends, and finally we decided we were ready. The kids are at a good age to get a dog, and our cats are 14 years old and mostly just sleep all day. So we took the plunge.

After having her for 7 weeks, here is what I have learned:
1. Having a puppy is HARD WORK.
2. Having a puppy is about 1,000 times harder than having a kitten (in my opinion).
3. Having a puppy is crazy.
4. Having a puppy is incredibly rewarding.

I will be the first to admit that I had no idea how time consuming a new puppy would be. And I wouldn't be lying if I didn't have my doubts during those first few weeks of whining and barking all night long. Or after I cleaned up the 167th pee puddle of the day. But, we are finally seeing light at the end of the puppy tunnel. At 14 weeks old she sleeps all night now-- no whining or barking. She is mostly house trained-- maybe one or two accidents a day. She is still super hyper when new people come in the door, but she calms down much quicker these days. In the evening, she is a super calm, snugly lap dog. She is doing really well taking walks on the leash, and she has mastered the "sit" command. There is still a lot for her to learn, but we are making progress. Every day we are starting to see more of her sweet, spunky personality.  We keep telling ourselves all this work is short term difficulty for long term results. We want to have a wonderful family pet for the next 9-11 years (or more!).

Our kids have also been having fun coming up with nicknames for her. Here's what we've got so far: Rox, Roxie Roo, Roxie Rumble (huge kudos to you if you can name the tv show where a music festival by this name is held), Roxie Boxie, and Roxstar. She really is a fun little girl and I look forward to watching her grow up as a part of our "pack."