Caleb’s First Night at Home. Playing is Hard Work.

I am the new proud owner of a shelter dog. Caleb Klein is a 10 week old white lab-golden mix. He is named Caleb because it comes from the Hebrew word for dog, kelev (note the same root, k-l-b). It also means faithful and bold. Caleb in the Bible was one of the spies, who together with Joshua came back and reported that the land of Israel was a good land, a land flowing with milk and honey. My husband figured out the name. It is perfect.

I never thought I wanted a dog. However, my daughter has nagged for at least four years. Recently my cousins adopted two white labs, Tank and Fletch, in northern Michigan and I fell hopelessly in love, first with their facebook pictures and then the dogs themselves. Maybe this could be possible. We went to look at Tank and Fletch’s brother. We didn’t adopt him. This dog, Caleb, is sweet, quiet (even though a puppy), playful and adorable. I have fallen hopelessly in love.

This morning I was the first one up. Anxious to see how my puppy (OK, Sarah’s puppy) had done his first night in his new home. No messes in his crate. I took him outside. He did what he needed to. It was silent out. No wind. A crisp air. We watched the the morning star and the dawn together. It was magical.

He is endlessly fascinating (and distracting). I am already learning. I know. I know. These kinds of things have been written before. Watching life through his eyes, every minute is a shehechianu moment. First car ride. First walk in the snow. First experience with the crate. First blueberries and strawberries. (Really? Who feeds a dog blueberries? He loved them!)

1. If he makes a mistake it is OK–he is a puppy. Now can I translate to my humans who also sometimes make mistakes? So far his mistakes are easy to clean up.
2. He trusts me. He looks up at me with those big brown eyes and I melt. Can I learn to trust others the same way?
3. He is starting to understand basic commands. Good boy he gets. Not good does not work. It confuses him. No bite or no nip is better. Being direct is good.
4. He loves to play and have fun. Maybe I can learn to play too. Then he sleeps, safe and secure on my lap. Maybe I can learn to love like Caleb.

Who knew I could be a dog-lover? Who knew every time I would try to type dog I would type god and have to correct?
May each of you find someone to love, a dog, a person, G-d, who loves you back just for being you. May you faithful and bold. May you find a land flowing with milk and honey.