One year ago today my baby boy was born.
He was just one small pup in a big ‘ole litter.
We got Duke from a breeder in Oregon City. Last January John and I decided to get a puppy. While we researched different breeds John mentioned that he would like to have a Husky. I had never really considered having a Husky, just because I didn’t know much about them. So I started doing my research and then I looked to see if I could find any puppies for sale near us. I had been looking for a good month (not just for a Husky, but for other breeds that we had considered as well) when I found an add in the newspaper from a guy selling 3 month old Husky puppies.
I called the number in the add and spoke to the breeder who’s name is Jay. Jay grilled (ok..maybe not “grilled”) me for about 40 minutes asking me tons of questions on why I wanted a Husky, if I knew what I was getting myself into, he told me how countless people think they want a Husky but so many of the Huskies end up in pounds because they are too much to handle for the owner, and he told me how he didn’t want that to happen to his puppies. After convincing him that I had done my research, that I wouldn’t put a puppy in a pound simply because I didn’t think I could handle it, and that John and I were perfectly capable of handling and loving a Husky he told me that he had two left. He told me that one husky was a beautiful black and white pup and that he had a dominant personality, he played with the others but he was individualistic and liked to roam by himself. Then he told me that he had another husky pup who was auburn and white with ice blue eyes and this pup wants to be everyone’s best friend. He’s loving, he always likes to be by your side…he told me that he was tempted to keep this puppy for himself because his personality was so different from any other husky that he had bred. Then he asked me, out of the two of them, without seeing them, which one would I be interested in? I told him the auburn one that wants to be your best friend (duh. what a silly question). Then Jay told me that he was going to have one person come look at the puppies the next day and that I could go look at them after the other people, and that he would try to “save” the auburn/white one for me.
When we got up to see the puppies the other people had bought one, luckily it was the black and white one. The other people said they were indifferent to which one they took home, so he told them he had another buyer interested in the auburn one. I saw Duke and it was love at first sight. He was the cutest little fur ball that I had ever seen. For some crazy reason he was the last to sell. I think it’s because when he was younger he was really shy, and when people go look at puppies they aren’t as interested in the super shy puppies, so he got looked right over. And thank God he did. February 5th, 2011 we brought home our baby boy, and we named him Duke.
ook how tiny he was! this was about 30 minutes after we bought him <3
Duke has been one of the biggest blessings to me. People think it’s a little ridiculous how much I love my dog but Duke was the perfect companion at a time when I was very lonely. He filled that spot that needed to be filled and he’s been my best bud since the day we brought him home. He loves John and absolutely LOVES playing with John. He gets so excited when John walks through the door, but Duke would do anything to protect me. He doesn’t like it when John even gives me a hug, Duke gets jealous and protective- he’ll literally wrap his little paws around my ankles until John lets go. He snuggles with me (which he doesn’t with John)…I don’t know how to describe it but he’s so extremely loving and gentle with me.
Because Duke is so special to us, I wanted to do something special for him on his birthday. So I baked him a puppy safe birthday cake. It was a total success; he loved it!
Happy 1st birthday baby!
decorated with peanut butter frosting, strawberry yogurt icing, and pupperonie treats
Duke and his brand new rope
