Adopt a Dog Month: Playful Puppies are Awesome

This post about Adopt a Dog Month is brought to you by Pup-Peroni®. I received product and compensation, but all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the companies that encourage my creativity.

If you’ve been following my adventures on social media, you may have noticed the newest addition to the family being a playful furry friend.

Our new puppy, Lucas, has been getting a lot of attention lately. Go figure. I mean, just look at him!

I've partnered with Pup-Peroni to share Lucas' adoption story. We are celebrating all the happiness that he brings into our family one treat a time. As you know, dogs can be great companions to kids and adults as well as teach our kids the responsibility of caring for a pet. If you are thinking about adopting a dog, check out our adoption story and video on the blog.

We rescued Lucas from a foster family, and quite frankly, I was smitten at first sight. Both Eric and I went to visit him at his foster home, and we observed a gentle creature around two little girls, ages 4 and 6.

Watching Lucas play with the girls helped me envision what it would be like to have him at our house, surrounded by my kids who also will want to provide him with all sorts of attention.

Something to keep in mind is that rescue dogs come from a range of backgrounds, so it’s important to ask as much information as possible before bringing your new dog home.

We knew that Lucas had been in a crate for more than 20 hours per day, so crate and potty training was a bit challenging at first. The most important part for us was to build trust and create a bond; something we did with lots of playtime and yummy treats.

Seeing as October is Adopt-A-Dog Month, I wanted to share with you our experience of welcoming Lucas to our family. And in the video below, I share some insight from the kids on what it was like to get a puppy. Plus, who can resist a puppy video?

As you can see, we teamed up with our friends at Pup-Peroni® to throw Lucas his very own Pup Rally to celebrate his adoption. He also happens to love treats, and since Pup-Peroni® treats are made with real meat, I can feel good about his snack time.

His most favorite thing, after treats, is belly rubs. At-all-times! Whenever one of us sits on the sofa there comes Lucas, laying down at your feet, paws up, practically asking “rub my belly!”

I can’t help it but smile every time someone finds out we just adopted a puppy, and the next phrase is… “puppies are so much work!” Yes, they are.

My reply is always that while puppies are a lot of work, it is also an opportunity for me to teach my children about responsibility. Puppies need to be fed on time, walked (a lot!), played with, bathed and more.

I’ve heard before that Labs are quick learners, and I’m here to tell you that either Lucas loves Pup-Peroni®, like a lot, or he really learns quickly! Okay, probably both. Within a couple of days he learned to sit, and a few weeks later he now knows command words like no, potty, sit, crate, walk, and you wanna…?

When we first brought Lucas home, a friend welcomed him with a gift basket filled with treats and other essentials. I fell in love with the idea and have been doing the same for a couple of friends who have brought new furry friends into their life.

His welcome basket was complete with a selection of Pup-Peroni real meat treats, a new leash, doggie bags, and plenty of paper towels; you’ll need them!

In the evenings, we all look forward to a stroll around the neighborhood with Lucas. The kids ride their bikes while he chases them and runs after them. I’m pretty sure the neighbors think that the dog walks me on the leash, not the other way around!

Are you thinking about adopting a furry friend this October for Adopt a Dog Month? Or do you already have one? If so, be sure to create your own WOOF YEAH! Custom Cheer for your pup and share it with friends and family on social media by tagging #WOOFYEAH