Norman The Wonder Puppy
December 2012
I am, it seems, raising the perfect Norwich Terrier puppy. I don't mean that I possess some amazing talent or insight – I mean Norman is about as perfect as you can get. We've all heard jokes about the woes of puppyhood, in fact I've spoken of them myself, so imagine my surprise when I realized that I am in fact living with the perfect puppy.
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Norman has an innocent curiosity and wonder of the world that all puppies have, but he has the soul of a mature and sensitive dog. He has a soft temperament and is more willing to please than any other dog I've known. He is sensitive and tuned in to what I am feeling and it is amazing to feel this close to a dog again. Norman seems to understand me in a way that I never thought possible. He accepts what comes his way with complete trust. We call him Norman the Wonder Puppy.
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Just days after coming to live with us, I took Normie to work with me and he became the office therapy dog. He loves people and people love him. Even those who consider themselves, "big dog
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people" and those do don't even like dogs, have been won over by his sweet, gentle nature and his ever-wagging tail. People are amazed that a young puppy can be so calm. Normie seems to understand his role in the company – to make people smile – and he takes his job seriously and loves going to work.
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Normie was completely house trained by six months of age, having only 3 mistakes in two months. I do take credit for learning from my mistakes but then again, Normie is very smart and eager to please. He has never chewed or destroyed anything in our home. He quickly seemed to understand that this is his home and soiling in it would be be unpleasant. I see him becoming quite a guard dog as he matures, as any suspicious activity is monitored, growled at or barked at if necessary.
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Weekends belong to Norman. Every weekend involves some type of activity for him, which usually means a trip to a local park where he can exercise and meet people and dogs. I think he understands that weekends are "our time" and he keeps me in sight. He is the epitome of a "Velcro dog."
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It's amazing how much a sweet, loving puppy will impact your life. They experience life with gusto and unequal joy. They adapt and give their hearts easily and completely. There are no sorrows that a sensitive puppy can't help heal. It's one of the truly wonderful things about dogs.