Socialization is the Key to Success

Mom says this is true. If it is, then I am going to be a highly successful individual!

I had no idea when I got up this morning that today would be such an important day filled with so many new things. It started when mom folded up my portable crate and took it and me to the car. I was concerned and I followed her very closely and stayed near to my bed when she propped it by the door. I have not been a fan of the car so far, and mom was worried that she might need to go into a store, or we could have an accident and I would not be safe loose in the car all by myself, so she felt like bringing the crate was insurance.

She put my crate in the back and laid my mat down in it, and gave me my rawhide chewie and one stuffie. I went into the crate a little reluctantly, but once I got into it and knew it was mine I felt better. Then mom's cell phone rang. She talked to someone for a minute and I heard her say "OK, I can give you a ride, but I am in a hurry.". She can be very  fussy too, just like me.

We drove to Greenfield and stopped at a bus station and I got to meet one of my brothers. His name is Private Adams, and he is in the Army. He just graduated from something called AIT, which I do not understand, but sounds important. I think having a soldier for a brother is very impressive. He opened the top of my crate (the top comes up, like a convertible!) and petted me. I liked him. We drove a bit more and then dropped him off, and then we got back on the road.

And then IT happened. I threw up. I was very unhappy. It was gross and it made me a little embarrassed and I tried to get rid of it, or get away from it, or cover it up or ANYTHING to make it go away! Mom pulled over and cleaned me up, and then she let me sit in the front seat with my leash handle through the seatbelt. She says I need a car harness, and she sounds pretty serious about it. I think I'd be fine loose, but mom says "safety first!". She's big into "what if"'s. What if we have an accident and I get loose? What if she opens the door and I sneak out? She thinks more than I do!

I rode quietly on the seat next to her and there was no more gross throwing up, which made me happy. For a while I rode on mom's lap, standing up, which she said was very unsafe, and that I was a very spoiled dog. After a while I got sick of standing and I curled up in the other seat. It was comfortable. I slept a little.

When I woke up we were in a new place. Mom took me out of the car along with a green bag full of eggs, and we went into a strange new building. It smelled really good once we got inside. I could smell sheep, I think! Mom said that was the yarn. This was Webs, mom said, and now I could meet Auntie Kathy. Mom says that it's Auntie Kathy's idea that I am even here, and she's really glad and, she says, "forever grateful" that Auntie Kathy said "Shiba!" and sent that link with all those puppy pictures, and reminded mom about Shiba Inu. Mom says my sister-who's-gone, Kioshi, was an Akita Inu and she learned about Shiba when she was learning about Akita. I think she is trying to tell me that Akita is something like Shiba, which of course it is not. Shiba is SHIBA, not anything else, not even Akita!

Anyway, I did meet Auntie Kathy and I liked her an awful lot! She smells very nice and I want to kiss her face, but mom says I need to not do that quite so much to everyone I meet. She says read an article about it. I think articles are dumb if it means I can't lap everyone's face. Anyway, I liked Uncle Steve, too, but I like Auntie Kathy better. I think in general I like woman more. Men are OK and cool to hang out with, but the ladies are what really count!

Then I met Katy and GL and a small thing called Laz. She had an owl on her head and shoes that looked like me. She is my size and will be one of my best friends, I know it. Then Auntie Mary and Tina and Viviana and Kendra and...well, I met a LOT of people, let's leave it at that! A really really lot of people! I met most of the staff in all different parts of the store, I saw the warehouse - it is big and noisy, but I liked it! - I met tons of customers who thought I was just too cute for words.

I saw shopping carts and I heard noises I have never heard before, and I took almost all of it in stride. Even when I didn't like stuff, I adjusted quickly enough. Mom even left me alone with Auntie Mary for a couple of minutes and I did very well. Mom says this is a very good sign and further proof of my "stable temperament", whatever that is. As long as mom's happy, I am happy! We walked all over the store and there were lots of doors and corners and places and offices and people, people, people everywhere! I loved all of the people! They pet me and cuddle me and it makes me so happy. I had very good manners almost all of the time, and I even practiced my sit, down and stand while we were there. I did well and Auntie Kathy, Auntie Mary, Katy, GL and I think Tina even cheered for me! And I practiced my name a LOT. People call me and when I go to them they rub me all over and tell me what a good boy I am. I could get used to that!

After the yarn store we made a quick stop to deliver some eggs at a place mom called Elgar, which she says is where we will normally see Katy and will almost always deliver eggs. I laid down in my crate quietly the whole time mom was taking the eggs in. I did the same thing when mom stopped to get her lunch at a place called Spoleto Express. Mom said it did not feel very "express" today at all, but I didn't really notice or care. I was starting to feel pretty worn out, but mom said the day was not done yet.

We drove for a little while and ended up at a place mom called "The Vet". She said that I would like it there, and I did. I met Polly who has some of those Akitas, and Doc who was very, very nice to me. He held me on his lap and looked at my teeth and my eyes and my ears and listened very carefully to my heart, which he said was very good. I got weighed on the scale, which was not scary at all. The scale comes up from the floor and becomes a thing called "the table", but even when it moved I was not scared at all.

I got to be on the table with a girl who's name I don't know - but she was very nice, too. Then I got my microchip - I don't really understand what it is, but they all seemed to think it was important. It didn't hurt much and I didn't even make a sound. Next I need a rabies shot. That I did NOT like, and I let out one good loud scream so everyone would know I was not happy. Mom gave me a kibble, and I forgot all about it and was happy again. I waited in the car (really I slept) while mom did "paperwork" which I sense was very boring. I thought then that maybe we would go home.

But we DIDN'T go home! Mom said we had another stop to make - we needed to go and meet my Nana. I didn't even know I HAD a Nana, but apparently I do. She lives at a place called The Arbors with a lot of other Nana-like people. I saw Nana, and I also saw automatic doors, wheelchairs, walkers, and canes. I heard loud sounds, and people yelling and having a party called "happy hour" (at 3:15pm! Mom says Nana-like people start early on happy hour because they've earned it). I met people in green aprons called Resident Care Assistants, and I met the ladies who answer the phone (and make sure mom signs in and out when she forgets), and I met a man called Joe, and one called Nathan, and a bunch of ladies who all loved me a LOT. I was very well-mannered again which was a lot of work, because there were a lot more new and strange things here than I expected, but it was fun to learn about them anyway.

After a while mom said that we should get moving, which was probably good because I was very sleepy. Once we were in the car I fell right to sleep on the seat beside her. I tried to wake up once at a stoplight, but I just couldn't get my head to stay up and I ended up inhaling car seat for about five minutes before my head finally laid down flat. Mom took pictures. It's a good thing I am not a human baby or someday I would be pretty mad about some of the crazy pictures she takes.

We got home and I headed straight for MY house and MY buffalo and MY bowl and MY toys. I am loving this place more and more every day. There's so much to do and learn and see! I can't wait to see what's next. But right now, I think I need another good nap!