🤓 How prepared should you be before bringing a dog home?
“…He's so inquisitive, it’s like he will find ways to just die. He'll eat something crazy or he'll get into something that he shouldn't.
For example, when he was really young, he chewed on a glass ornament. We had to move the ornaments way up on the tree so he couldn’t get to them.”
Sometimes, we fall in love with a pet so unexpectedly, there’s no time to prepare. We bring them home and figure it out as we go.
While we hope everything goes smoothly, there’s a good chance we might run into a few hiccups.
In the end, we can be sure of one thing though: it’s always worth it!
That’s exactly what happened to Alek Darr–Cotl’s Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer–and his wife when they met Pasquale. They immediately fell in love when they laid eyes on him…
But his curious nature would keep them on their toes as they established their new life together.
An 8-hour drive, just to “look”
“We ended up spending two and a half hours there trying to decide which one we wanted. I remember first, I was playing with Pasquale. I was holding him and he was doing his own thing. I put him down and picked the other one up but Pasquale came back over and was laying at my feet as if he had kind of picked me.”
Living in an apartment, Alek and his wife weren’t in a rush to get a dog.
After having grown up with various breeds (Alek had German Shepherds, a Labradoodle, and Shih Tzus) and loving the companionship a dog can give, they knew they wanted one when the time felt right. Plus, having a yard would be nice.
In their gut, they knew they wanted an Australian Shepherd.
So when they ran into a person who had a beautiful Aussie, they couldn’t resist striking up a conversation.
Turns out, the dog was from a breeder about 8 hours away. Conveniently, Alek’s family had a small property around the halfway point.
Without thinking much of the distance, Alek checked the breeder’s website and saw there were a handful of puppies currently available. One really stood out to him… His unique markings and personality seemed like a perfect fit.
He reached out and asked if they could come see Pasquale. Next thing they knew, they were taking a road trip.
After spending over two hours playing with Pasquale and deciding between him and another pup, they knew in their hearts they couldn’t leave without him.
Any time they stopped holding him, he came right back to them and laid at their feet. He chose them.
Knowing they weren’t exactly prepared, they still scooped him up and made the trip back home.
And that’s when they realized their life was about to look a lot different from that point forward.
Keeping their curious boy safe
“We immediately were faced with challenges because we didn't prep to get a dog. We just got there and fell in love with him and he fell in love with us.
And so, we got him and then when we got home, we didn't have a crate or anything else prepared for a dog. So, we had to do all of that really quickly.”
Getting settled didn’t take too long. With a quick trip to the store, Pasquale had everything he needed to start living a happy life in his new home.
But as time went on, Alek started to see how his sweet dog’s loving personality also included a little anxiety and a whole lot of curiosity.
Whether he was learning not to rip up furniture, scheming his way into the bed, or chewing on a glass Christmas tree ornament (yes, he’s okay!), Pasquale needed to understand what behaviors were okay.
One thing Alek and his wife established right away was crate training.
“I think it was an important part of him starting to trust the space and trust us. He was able to have a space to himself that he feels comfortable in.”
By creating a cozy place where Pasquale could retreat to, the crate was never used for punishment. Instead, it became a familiar space where he could be safe.
The crate became his nighttime sanctuary and a place he could go when his humans had to leave. It was also pretty nifty when he’d be faced with something unfamiliar.
With situations like having new people in the house, traveling and staying in AirBnbs, or hanging out with a sitter, the crate is part of the routine that stays constant. He knows what to expect.
“A lot of it was familiarity for him. It’s for comfort and he sleeps there, but it's also for his safety. I think that’s really important for dogs that are inquisitive and can get themselves into trouble unknowingly.”
Now that he’s older, he doesn’t have to stay there when Alek and his wife leave for a bit. But it’s always open so he can if he wants to.
And knowing he always has his safe space available is just one of the reasons why he trusts his humans.
Establishing a playful, loving bond
“We took him to the camper that first weekend we had him and it was really cute. He sat next to me and he had his arm on me as we were sitting on the stoop, and then he was snuggling with my wife too. He's always been really affectionate…”
From the very beginning, Alek and his wife worked to establish a life for Pasquale that was full of certainty and structure.
As a puppy, training and patience helped Pasquale understand what it was like to be part of a family.
As he grew into his “teenage” years, he definitely tried to test boundaries to see who was the most dominant in the household.
Play has become part of the routine too.
“It's kind of a game of getting him to go on a walk. He likes to go on walks, but he just adds that extra step of playfulness when we're going to try to take him outside, making us chase him first.”
Every day, Pasquale takes every single toy out of the toy bin. Every night, Alek puts them back so the Roomba doesn’t get stuck.
But these moments aren’t for nothing. Within the day to day, each moment becomes an opportunity to strengthen trust and the unconditional love shared between dog and human.
As soon as they wake up or come home, they can feel the love Pasquale has for them. The way he runs over to them to be hugged and then stays near them is a constant validation that he’s happy.
“Those morning moments and the moments right when we first get home, where he's extremely excited to see us…Those are the things that kind of hit you close to home where it's like, ‘Yeah, this guy will love me no matter what baggage I'm walking through the door carrying.’”
The ways love changed their life
“He’s definitely made me more conscious as a pet parent. I've had to make some changes to make sure he gets what he needs, when he needs it.
He's just kind of taught me how to be a little bit more empathetic and conscious about cohabitating with someone who depends on you. We’re directly responsible for his life.”
Welcoming a dog home means we get to experience lots of snuggles, kisses, and playtime… But the addition to the family usually ends up affecting our lives in ways we didn’t expect too.
Because Pasquale has such high energy, Alek makes sure to allow for lots of outdoor time so he can run around and tire himself out a bit.
If the weather is nice, they might walk for a couple hours. If it’s too hot, they’ll go out earlier than usual so they can beat the heat, and break up their time outside into shorter increments.
They might even take him to a dog-friendly restaurant or a dog park to change things up too.
“Yes, there's health benefits for us when we're walking him as much as he needs, but it's not about us. It's about what Pasquale needs that day.
Where's his energy at? Does he seem really anxious and would need a longer walk or should we do a couple different walks and maybe bring him somewhere with friends so we can get energy out that way?”
Having Pasquale has also changed how they take trips, making sure their plans are dog friendly so he can be included.
He’s adventured through the mountains and has enjoyed calm days on the beach… As long as he gets to spend time with his humans, he loves every minute!
And for the quieter moments at home, he’s just as spoiled as when they’re doing something special.
On Sunday nights, Pasquale gets to spend quality time with his mom while Alek plays hockey. And when Alek is home, Pasquale gets extra treats (it might be a bribe 😉).
“All these moments have just really made me feel so much better about the challenges in the early days. It's really rewarding when he can be the best that he can be in environments where it's really important for him to behave well… and when people are acknowledging how good he is and how cute he is, it feels really good.”
A plan for your pet that just makes sense
While we might not always be prepared to bring a pet home, we can always work hard to establish that loving, full life that’s filled with structure and routine.
But if you had to step away for a few days, would someone know exactly what to do to keep them happy and safe?
If something happened, could someone confidently step in and take your place?
Putting a Cotl plan in place ensures your pet is taken care of, just the way they’re used to, no matter what.
Discover how the process works or book a call directly with Sean, our founder and CEO, to see what a plan could look like for you.
