One year has flown by so fast yet so much has happened!
Luna Tuna is a one year old!
October 1st, 2016 we drove 2 hours to receive our new little girl, Luna, a beautiful black lab. The night before, there was a black moon in the sky, her name was a no-brainer, Luna!
I am really still unclear to this day why we did this since Grace, our 6-year-old black lab was trained and very easy. All I know is it was time to shake it up a bit in our household. And boy did we ever.
Leading up to this decision of getting a puppy was quite the travel. I am a huge supporter of rescuing rather than going to a breeder. (There are many reasons why I lean this way, too many to list.) So we saw a mixed female of whippet and lab through a great rescue organization, and we found this breeder of Labradors. We met the mixed female. She was adorable, but something didn’t feel “right” so to speak. I kept leaning towards a specific breeder.
I placed my reservation on a black female puppy, and the day came when the phone rang with the news … one of the babies was ours. I asked for 72 hours to finalize my decision.
The conversations after the phone call involved sentences like: this will be a lot of work, training, our time would not be ours for a bit, double expenses with two dogs… and a lot of this would fall on me since I work out of the home. But overall, something was pulling at my gut, like God’s hand was reaching in and saying you must move forward and get this baby. This feeling was so strong I felt like someone was punching me from the inside out. It stayed for a long time in my logical brain and not my heart, to the point I declined the puppy. We declined the puppy.
Over a few weeks, I still had that deep sensation in my gut, and I was watching in the private Facebook group all the others getting excited about their new babies, not to mention, the babies growing and developing. There were two litters born approximately 9-12 hours apart, and when it was close to new mom and dad’s picking out their baby, a question was posed in the group: how many puppies are left from the two litters? Steve, the breeder replied, two black females. I knew right then and there one of them was ours. (Quite frankly, this all was killing me.) So a call was made, and we committed to a baby girl. I was instructed to go to the website and look at pink collar and lime green collar. Well LOL I watched the video, and I think within 10 seconds I knew down to my gut the pink collar was ours. Now let the name game begin…
Luna it is. Luna Tuna Ticky Tavi Smith, is her nickname. Here she is sitting on Grace…
Luna is so special, very smart and thank goodness, not a hyper dog. She really took on the energy of Grace and our home. Being a smart girl, she has this edge to her, where she wants to work, train and work even more. She has a bit of confidence over Grace and doesn’t want to be put her in her place. We have learned if we do not challenge her mentally on a daily basis: training, walking with the training and such, she shows us a bit of rebellion. Nothing majorly destructive it is more along the lines of she won’t listen, she paces, she will get ramped up jumping on the back door to crush kill and chase the chipmunks and squirrels. If there is a bunny, all hell breaks loose.
Luna has livened up our home, brings joys to our days, and she has definitely challenged my (her mom) patience. And we have things going on with Grace such as jealousy, sensitivity (she is a very sensitive girl) and disobeying all the things she knows. Such a crazy circus of a household.
I am experiencing (as a mom of dogs) a bit of what other moms go through with their human babies. Sending Luna off to camp (a 19-day residential training program). NEVER ever have done this before! I was a wreck. She did great! Watching the two get along and then jealousy developing. (I guess kids do this.) Watching the two go through phases of playing and not playing.
I know these girls are dogs. However, they are my children, my family, and my responsibility to keep them safe and sound. I do the best I can do with the wisdom that I have and I constantly remind myself, at the end of the day they are dogs. They are my gifts from God.
One great thing is they will never ask for the car keys, need an expensive college education, and need electronics. Whew, I am off the hook as a parent! Woo friggin hoo!
I love my girls, and they teach me so much, another vessel in my life that God has provided.
Peace,
Kim
Not, “Here she is sitting WITH Grace,” but sitting ON Grace! 🙂 Kim, I don’t have any children of my own (my husband has a 16 year old who will be moving in with us next year), so I know what you mean about being a Doggie Mom. Your girls are gorgeous! Happy Gotcha Day! to Luna Tuna…Chaka’s Gotcha Day just passed — October 3.
Our gotcha days are close! And you are going ot be living with a 16 year old, a lot of fun times ahead
Love labs. Smart, sweet animals.
Coincidentally, my mother-in-law’s grand kids all call her Tuna Luna. ????
I like that, Tuna Luna! So sweet
Love the picture of her on the outdoor chairs???? happy birthday Luna tuna
LOL she catches on fast!
Happy Birthday Luna!
I used to have a Yellow Lab about 10 years ago and she was one of the best dogs I’ve ever owned. Calm (just like Luna) , super smart (maybe a little too smart) and the sweetest girl ever. Labs are the best!
They are! I love her so much. She is my 5th lab.
My dogs are my children too…. I lost one of them six months ago and life has been very difficult ever since. Your girls look gorgeous! To me animals are people who I love and protect in the same way as I do the human members of our family. It can be a real challenge having a young dog in the home can’t it …. and people always say they calm down at about 2 years but having had dogs all my life, and of course it depends on the breed, but I think it is more like 4 years before they truly mellow! ????????
Tiffany, I am so saddened by your loss. It is never easy. Luna has taken on Grace’s energy, very calm. She is more mentally smart and needs to be challenged that way.
Aww, happy birthday to Luna Tuna!
Thank you Rachel.
I’ve loved following her this past year. Luna Tuna Ticky Tavvy!!