Six Months: The Journey Thus Far

On October 13th, 2017, my little Wildling will be SIX MONTHS old! Some days it feels like I’ve had him forever, where others it feels like we’ve only been together a week. We’ve both learned so much in the half a year he’s been alive; about each other, about life. I thought today’s post would be a bit of a celebration as well as a listicle of sorts of some of those life lessons!

Wild @ 5 weeks

1. We learned that posing is fun –
Working with Wild and taking photos at the same time has been challenging! He’s so smart and so quick, getting the perfect shot (or as close to it as possible) started out as a pretty big challenge. Every new environment had a new set of challenges and the week he learned he could bolt as soon as he heard my shutter start was the start of a whole new set of challenges! As much of a hassle as some of the poses were (I have lofty goals, guys), in the end it has been such a rewarding time. We now understand each other in a much better way and nine times out of ten, he’ll give me what I want the first time I ask.

 

Wild @ 8 weeks

2. We learned that water is the best thing ever –
Having him around other water-loving dogs, I was hoping he’d become another “fish” and indeed he has! He went from waterfall hopping to full on retrieving bumpers out of deep water and loving every second he can spend with his toes wet. He dumps the water bucket over daily, just to lay on the wet ground. He’s a water-chewer and I regularly have to remove his now gargantuan head out of the bucket so others can have a turn. As much as he loves it, he’s an excellent sharer and will drink side-by-side any dog that can find room.

 

Wild @ 10 weeks on set of a short film

3. We learned that sets can be fun places –
Wild has now done two different types of “work”! His first, pictured above, was a short film when he was just 10 weeks old. He didn’t have a whole lot of “action”, but he did have to deal with lots of strangers, new equipment, and some long hours in the summer heat. He handled everything like a champ and I am very proud of his performance. His other job was a photo shoot, so quite a bit less moving parts. For that he was needed off leash, and doing some more complex “action”. Once again, he handled himself like a pro and I can’t wait to do more media work with him as he grows!

 

Wild @ 10 weeks with Dude, Scully, & BFF Chess

4. We learned that friends are the best –
Wild has had many positive experiences with dogs over the last several months, but he definitely has his favorites. Chess, his Border Collie Bestie, definitely takes the top spot, but when she’s not around Dude & Scully vy for that position. Each dog interacts with him a little bit differently, and he seeks one or the other out depending on his mood. I love watching them play together and I hope that they’ll remain good buddies throughout their lives. He’s such a floppy-friendly guy, he makes friends wherever he goes.

 

Wild @ 5 months

 

5. We learned that moments are what you make them –
Often over the last few months, we’ve had differences of opinion and it’s taken time and patience to figure out the best responses. I’ve learned to give him the benefit of the doubt in a lot of situations, and he’s learned to offer correct behaviors in order to get rewarded. A lot of things can be ruined in a single moment, an egg doesn’t wait two days to break once it’s been dropped on the floor, but I feel like we’re getting to a point now where instead of being at risk of ruining anything, we’re in a state of mutual understanding. There are still mistakes made, and incorrect choices on both our parts, but when I remember to pause before reacting, there really is a moment that we read each other. It’s those that I’d like more of.

 

Wild @ 6 months

6. We’ve learned to keep going –
In the beginning, if Wild was afraid of something, he would turn and try to bolt away from it. Understandable, really, if you’re this tiny puppy and you feel threatened, you leave. Most of the time, I avoided his triggers if I wasn’t prepared to work through it, we would go another route or I would wait for the scary car to pass before trying to get him out. Now, though, we seem to be moving forward much more often. He still spooks at certain things, and I’d still rather wait for that scary car to pass by before letting him out, but overall we’re getting past it. He’s keen to explore new places and he always wants to follow his friends, so if they’re brave enough to walk past that trash can, so is he!

 

Overall, I feel I’ve learned much more than he has. I’ve slept less, sure, but I think I’ve learned more. Our journey together has only really just begun, and I’m so happy to have spent the last few months watching this magnificent animal grow from a tiny puppy that could sleep on my chest, to the creature he is today that can take up half my bed without even trying. There will always be days when it would be easier to not have him in the house, but there are so many more days that I couldn’t imagine him anywhere else. His watchful gaze, his floppy cuddles, his enormous presence when he walks into the room. I waited a long time for you, Wild, and boy were you worth every second.