The Newest Ausman

 We had been talking about getting a new dog for a while.  We knew we wanted a BIG dog, preferably a lab mix, or a Shepard mix or something like that.  We were gone pretty much all summer, so we had to wait until we were back from Hawaii.  BUT...I didn't want to wait too long because I wanted him/her to be trained when we visited family for the holidays.  

So the Friday after we got home, the girls and I went to the shelter.  They had nothing  :o(  I talked to the guy and he said they update their website twice a day and look there before coming down to save time.  So that night I was checking it out - and "Percey" was on there...he wasn't there earlier that morning when I was visiting.  I showed him to Brian and we went back the next day to see him.

The guy brought him to our little visiting area and he was so calm.  The girls were petting him and lovin on him and he just let them.  I was a tad concerned that he was a little too scared of everything...but we figured that if he just lays down when he is scared, it's WAY better than a jumpy hyper dog that barks and goes crazy when he's scared.  SO...Percey cam home with us!

(I felt bad because his Dad was there too, but I knew we couldn't handle 2 dogs at once.  Good thing Brian is more logical, because the emotional me would have totally taken them both)

Then we had to think of a name.  If we were nice parents we would have let the kids pick - but we aren't and I didn't want a dog named chocolate chip or something.  Brian wanted Buster, I wanted Kona (probably influenced by just coming home from Hawaii!)  Neither of us liked the other's suggestion.  Then one of us suggested Dexter and we both liked it 

So he is Dexter Morgan, named after this guy  ;o)

 The first day Dex just hid the whole day - here he is pretty sad looking hiding in our back yard.

Brian got him to sit on his lap for a while (btw - this is the last time he has been this close to Brian)

after a while he started exploring and the tail came out from between his legs

He made himself comfortable in the cool dirt

He collected all his toys and piled them up in the backyard  haha

and now he is pretty much family!

Brian took him to the vet and they think he is part Flat Hair Retriever, part lab, and part chow (he has the curly tail and black spots on his tongue)   

We start obedience training next month - the sooner classes were all full.  He is pretty good though.  Totally potty trained downstairs, even uses the doggie door.  Upstairs, he has issues though.  He is awesome with the girls, walks on a leash great, doesn't chew my shoes haha.  He is still scared of Brian though - although in Dexter's defense, Brian's demeanor isn't that nurturing!   I think Dex will come around soon though.

He is a pretty awesome dog!  Welcome to the family Dexter!!!

PS: he is as big as he is going to get - so I didn't get my BIG dog.  But he isn't little either.  And I kept checking the website - his Dad was adopted last week!  So now I can stop feeling guilty for separating them and leaving Dad behind.