Home for the Holidays (Post #7)

I feel bad that I have waited this long to post about the holidays cause some of the details are starting to fade.  I am only 33 but sometimes I think I have the memory of a 70 year old. 

The week in Utah was so much fun, but one thing that was not fun was dealing with my dog that seemed to have lost his mind in the time that we had been away. My parents were kind enough to take Archie in and take care of him.  I am not sure if I can even manage to express how much this meant to me.  One of the hardest things about moving to the Philippines was deciding whether or not we should bring Archie with us.  Once we visited in May and saw the conditions he would be living in as well as the resources like Vets and such, we just felt that bringing him with us was not even an option.  Then came the decision of whether or not we would have to give him away permanently.  I definitely did not want to do that, but we asked everyone we knew to take him and it just didn't seem to be something anyone could do (completely understandably).  Well, my mom stepped in and said that of course they would take Archie ( much to my dad's dismay).  He has done well there.  They take amazing care of him.  He gets way more exercise living there and he gets tonz of attention.  My dad totally spoils him!  Well, in repayment for their kindness  he actually bit my mom.  This happened just days before we arrived home and it was not a nip.  He broke the skin.  The second day we were there we got to see a sample of how horrible he was being when he actually lunged at Ben, baring his teeth and growling like Old Yeller (at the end of the movie).  It seriously scared me!  I have never been afraid of my dog. That was a scary/sad feeling.  I honestly thought we might have to put him to sleep.  I stayed up that night worrying and crying. 

So, day 2 of our trip home was spent taking Archie into the vet.  The Doctor did some tests and really felt that it was just Archie's way of "testing boundaries".  He had decided he was an equal to my dad and that my mom was some little pion that he didn't have to listen to or respect.  So, in the next week while we were there we got everyone in the house onto the training bandwagon, teaching Archie that he was the lowest guy on the totem pole (keeping him off the couch, not jumping up on people, lots of making him sit, etc).  And ya know what, he was SO MUCH better!  I guess some dogs just need more structure and I left my poor parents with that kind of dog.  Sorry mom and dad!  We are SO GRATEFUL to have left our "baby" with such amazing and patient people like you!

Below are some GREAT pictures of my mom "training" Archie and my adorable niece, Avery.  She LOVES to play puppy and she wanted to be "trained" too.  They both even got treats (Archie got Pupperoni while Avery got chocolate chips and marshmallows)

Sit

Lay Down

Dance (gotta love that my mom was dancing too)

Shake (notice Avery's tongue, she totally gets into character)

How can you not love this guy? 

 I know some people honestly cannot understand the feelings I have for my dog.  Ya know what....I don't care:)!  I love this guy and miss him every single day!