The Story of Tucker

So, show of hands for who loves to see a good pupper doddle? My hand is up WAY high right now.

I’m a dog lover. There is no question about that. Chances are, if we even met just once for coffee, I bet I may have mentioned that, or asked if you had any. I can’t help it - it’s in my blood.

Fun fact: I worked in the veterinary field for 10 years before going full time with photography! It shouldn’t surprise you to know that I’ve always had a dog growing up. Just last year, my fiance and I bought our first house together and had an agreement that once we got settled, and maybe by November when both of our jobs slowed down a little, it was fair game to start the hunt for an adoptable puppy. When the clock striked midnight on November 1st, the hunt was ON. This girl was on Petfinder on the daily, and was on about every rescue group on facebook you could think of. I had now been without a dog in my house for the longest I’ve ever gone without one my whole life. The house was too quiet for me, and if I’m being honest, it never quite felt like home to me without the pitter pattering of paws running across the floor. A dog to me, made a house a home, and I was already missing Murphy, our family dog from when I moved out who stayed with my parents.

We had our eyes on a litter of puppies who came from Georgia in a kill shelter looking for their forever homes. There was only one left in this lab/hound mix litter that they just couldn’t seem to find a home for. They called him: Butterball.

Yes, the whole litter was named after Thanksgiving dinner names.

We put in an application and were approved, and within a couple days, we had a meet and greet set up to meet him to see if we would like him. Scott, my fiance, knew we would be coming home with a dog that night. He had never had a dog before, and he told me he was nervous. But I was so excited to share the love of a dog with him!

When we met Butterball that night, his big goofy paws came running at us full force almost to know he was going home! Driving home that night, we now sat in the car as a family of three and we were absolutely smitten with him.

We had agreed to name him: Tucker.

Tucker spared us no mercy in the beginning. He was a wild man. Every hour of the day was playtime or pee time, and pee time usually happened right in the living room because he couldn’t hold his tiny bladder. We got frustrated more times that we could count. I remember several conversations laying in bed as Tucker barked his little puppy head off in his crate, with me and Scott moping, “What are we doing wrong??”

We got a trainer to come to the house. And after that was done, we spent a lot of time training him at home, teaching him how to walk nice on a leash, how to sit before giving dinner, how not to jump on our guests, how to drop his ball to play fetch. We put the hours in and committed to training this wild boy to be a well behaved pup.

Tucker turned one this weekend, and to say he has come a long way would be an understatement. Does he still get a little naughty from time to time? Sure. But he has matured so much since then and became such a good boy, we are so grateful we have him! Tucker boy completes our family (for now), and I can’t wait to see what the future will hold for him! My hope is that once he has gotten out of his puppy hood stage and calmed down a little bit more, we can start doing therapy dog training. He loves people, but for the moment, he just doesn’t know how to contain his excitement when meeting new friends. In due time silly pup, in due time.

Happy 1st birthday Tucker! We love you!

Enjoy some of my favorite pictures of him growing up!