2024 Annual Report

A PUP’S progress

I have so much to tell you!

I am over a year old now, and so I don’t think I am really a puppy anymore. I am ready to be treated like a proper dog now. My puppy raiser (her name is Cabell, and she knows a lot about Saint Francis) says that would be fine if I would just ACT like a proper dog, but whatever. You know how she is. First of all, we had Christmas, and I didn’t get anything I wanted. We do this thing where we switch houses with our siblings sometimes, so I went to my brother Salem’s house for a week before the holidays. They have a cat and a toddler. I decided cats are fascinating, and I LOVE babies. So I asked for a cat and a baby for Christmas. I did not get them. I am still trying to figure out what went wrong there. Everyone says I am a good dog, so what gives? Now I am getting ready for a lot of tests. There are some physical tests - they are going to check my hips and my elbows. And they will do a genetic test, and I think there is a test for my heart and other stuff too. All this is to see if I may be good mother material. I am the only girl in my litter, so a lot is riding on this. I don’t really care so long as I get a baby out of it. Maybe a kitten. And I will have some other tests coming up too. I already had my Intermediate Puppy Evaluation, which I think I did just fine on. Some of my brothers did better, but they are overachievers, if you ask me. These tests have skills in them that I am practicing with my puppy raiser. My focus is better, and I am starting to get the hang of it. The main thing I have to do is figure out what she

is trying to tell me. Sometimes, she does a good job, I know what to do, and I am happy to do it. Sometimes, I just sit, stare at her, and concentrate real hard. It rarely works, but I’m trying, and that seems to make her happy.

As for me, I am always happy. I have my friends, my classes, my people, and lots of playtime. Life is interesting and fun.

Now, if I can just find a toddler and a cat…

ivy

To read prior editions of A Pup’s Progress, visit saintfrancisdogs.org/publications

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