Adopting a Puppy - Our Story

Meet Knox, our golden doodle doggo (don’t let the black fur fool you) who just turned 1 year old. He’s a goofy little boy who has a love for life (and ball). He’s the puppy that my husband and I didn’t know we needed, but now can’t live without.

I’ll be honest…I thought I was ready to adopt a puppy-almost-dog, but nothing could prepare me for the highs and lows of puppy parenting. As my husband continuously says, “He’s teaching us patience.” Training takes time and patience, and we’re working on both. Don’t get me wrong, Knoxie came to us incredibly well-behaved and fully house trained, but he could use some work on how he greets people (a little too excitedly), learning boundaries, and that it’s okay to be home alone (aka separation anxiety). I’m anything but a professional trainer, but I’ve found that confidence and patience are key to success when teaching Knox new skills. I’m human enough to admit that I get frustrated sometimes. Sometimes it’s me that needs a break from training instead of Knoxie, and that’s okay. We need to be gentle with ourselves and know that it’s okay to step away and regroup. Don’t push yourself because that’s when you hit the tipping point of wanting to give up.

Adoption Story

Knox’s adoption story is all about being in the right place at the right time. We lost our first dog, Buddy, in early May 2024, and we weren’t really sure how to live without him after sharing 10 years of our lives with him. It was difficult to find a new routine in our lives and not automatically make sure we were home in time to feed Buddy every evening, among other routines. Both my husband and I found the grip on our mental health slipping, and we weren’t sure how to best wrangle it back in. I was adamant that I wasn’t ready for another dog yet. Buddy was my baby and whole life, and I just couldn’t fathom sharing my heart with another dog let alone the heartbreak and stress that comes with the end of their lives. What really swayed me in my decision was seeing how much not having a dog affected my husband. We needed the companionship and a reason to get out of bed every morning. We needed something to force us into a daily routine.

So how did we meet Knox? My best friend’s parents-in-law are fosters and constantly have a rotation of golden retrievers in their care before they find their furever homes. They typically only take in adult dogs (they have 4 older goldens of their own, and that’s what they do best with), but Knox needed an emergency placement for a short period of time before a more permanent foster home was found and the family took him in with open hearts and arms. When my best friend spent time with Knox and got to know him, she knew he’d be the perfect fit for the dog-shaped hole in our home. After that, it was a whirlwind from meeting Knox to prepping our home for a high-energy puppy after having a chill dog for the past 10 years.

I can honestly say Knox is exactly what we need in our lives and I’m so happy the circumstances happened how they did. We’re a few months into having the goofy goober and we love him so much. We are constantly learning new quirks about him and love to see his personality shine through.

Our Favorite Puppy Stuff

When we adopted our first dog, he was 4 years old and wasn’t interested in playing with toys. Flash forward 10 years, and Knox is still a puppy at 10 months old and LOVES toys – especially balls. Since we’re experienced dog owners, we knew the essentials we needed, but there was so much more we wanted, too. Below are just a few of our favorite supplies we’ve gotten for Knox so far!

We Love Walks

First up is what I’m going to call “containment” (like harness and leashes). Kurgo is a brand that we adore, especially their harnesses. It’s what we used for our first dog, and we are continuing to use it for Knox! The Kurgo Journey Air is our favorite for ease of use, adjustability, and strength.

Next, a standard 6-foot leash is best for our walkies. I’m partial to a leash with two handles so I can use the shorter handle when I need a little extra control over Knox. The one we are currently using has padded handles that come in clutch on long walks.

Lastly, a long leash to give him a little more room to roam and to work on recall. We have a 30-foot leash that’s great for dog-friendly parks, my parents’ house, and anywhere else Knox is okay to have a little more freedom on the leash (we also used it before our yard was fully fenced in). Once again, I’m a sucker for a padded handle. Plus, our current favorite has a little bit of stretch as well as a short, removable bungie extension on the end to prevent the dog from being yanked back when they get to the end of the line; Knox will feel the slight pull of the bungie and slow down (no matter how fast he may be going at the moment).

Doggy Doo Essentials

All dog parents know that running out of (or completely forgetting) poop bags on a walk is the worst-case scenario. I kid you not when I say I have bad dreams of running out and not being able to pick up my dog’s poop immediately! This is why I always have three items attached to the 6-foot walking leash – poop bag dispenser, poop bags, and a used poop bag holder.

(Someone please count how many times I write poop in this section. I’m sure the number is comical.)

The poop bag dispenser we love from SVD.PET has a – get this – retractable feature so the bags aren’t constantly dangling out of the opening. I’ve never been more excited about a poop bag dispenser in my life. I also really love the hook-and-loop clasp so it can go on any type of leash you have (you’re not relegated to just the key ring that comes on most walking leashes).

To go inside the holder, I love the Earth Rated unscented bags (we got the 600-count so we don’t have to worry about repurchasing anytime soon); they’re big enough to hold multiple piles at once and they do. not. tear. Pet parents know this is the real test – when they actually hold up and you’re not left with gross hands or a broken bag halfway through your walk. I also love the detail of the 3-bags-left sticker; so useful to know exactly when you’re getting low!

The last item I always keep attached to our leash is a used poop bag holder. I am the last person who wants to carry a full poop bag especially if you still have 90% of your walk left. The 2-pack that we use has two ways to attach it to your leash – a carabiner and a hook-and-loop fastener – that makes it super easy to attach to any type of leash (or maybe even your dog’s harness if you’d rather they carry their own bags).

Keep ‘Em Busy

There are so many treats and chews we use to keep our active pup busy, but there are two that I need to shout out any chance I can get. The first is the WOOF Pupsicle. First of all, the name is just too cute. Second of all, this thing will keep my dog occupied for at least 30 minutes. We’re working on Knox’s separation anxiety and giving him a Pupsicle when we leave is a routine we stick to and swear by. The licking helps to keep him calm, and it gives him something to occupy his brain when we’re not around. I love the starter pack we got because it includes a mold so you can create your own pops to put in the treat holder. It’s also actually easy to clean (even if you don’t have a dishwasher…speaking from experience).

Next up are yak cheese chews. These are something I had never heard of until we adopted Knox, and my best friend introduced them to me. It’s hardened yak and cow milk that makes a great chew for your dog, and when they get so small that they become a choking hazard you can follow the directions on the packaging to microwave and puff them up so there’s no waste! It’s also a fantastic way to introduce your dog to a different texture.

Balls

Knox would argue that this last category is the MOST important of them all as it’s his favorite item of all time. There are three specific balls that he covets above the rest. One tip I will give if your puppy likes to chew: ditch the tennis balls and invest in something sturdier. I know tennis balls are going to give you the most bang for your buck, but ours have gotten destroyed (and Knox tends to bite the fuzz off of them…out of love).

Knox’s first favorite is a BarkBox Super Chewer ball called Comet – Large that you can buy separately – no BarkBox subscription required (although we do love them). Knox’s foster had this ball and let Knox take it with him when he came home. It’s quite possibly his favorite ball and it’s super sturdy. There haven’t been any sort of punctures or wear visible on it – color me impressed!

The next two balls are from the same brand – Chuckit – which we freaking love. First up is their Ultra Ball. It’s pretty standard, but there’s something about it that Knox is completely attached to. Also of note, this one has GREAT bounce to it. Which is why we named it Bouncey. Yes, we name each of the balls in our house. The second Chuckit is technically a ball, but not your traditional fetch-type ball. Their Rope Fetch Toy which is basically a ball on a rope with a handle in case your doggo wants to play tug. This is an outside toy for Knox, and he loves picking it up by the rope and just swinging it around while he prances around the yard. It’s really freaking cute, and he has the time of his life with it. You can also throw it around for them to fetch…but Knox really prefers to just run around like a show pony.

And that wraps up our must-have items for a high-energy puppy! It’s important to remember that we went through some trial and error when looking for items Knox will enjoy and not destroy. Not everything you come across will work for your dog. I implore you to do your research and really think about if the item you’re considering will be a good fit for your dog.

Also, as always, I’m in no way a veterinary professional so please take what I say with a grain of salt and consult your veterinarian when necessary.

Let me know in the comments what your favorite dog products are. I’d love to chat about our furry children!