Dont talk about it..be about it!: A dog completes a family

There is a reason I am giving a little preview so try to stick with me =]

We've had our German shepherd since he was 8 weeks old to the day. We had him before we had kids and naturally he was my little baby back when we first brought him home. Then we had kids a year later and he kind of got set on the back burner =/ its sad but it happened...my son was my first priority.

This is Chiefy

We had two dogs Pepe (a lab) and Chief (the GSD) Pepe took so nicely to Achilles. He could do anything he wanted to the dog and hed just take it. It was amazing to me and I felt so proud that I raised such an amazing dog. Chief on the other hand, wasnt a fan. Achilles was about one the first time he ever snapped at him. I yelled of course and said "you dont bite thats bad" oin my mean man voice. Then about 5 minutes later he snapped again. I was pregnant with Guias and I had these raging hormones. I went psycho on Chief I picked him up and threw him across the room I was so upset that he didnt listen. I hated that I had to be so harsh but he HAD to know that that was a no no. I knew that if he made a routine out of growling or snapping he would have to go and that broke my heart to think about. Well he has not snapped again to this day! Up until a few months ago anytime Achilles would walk up to him he would get up and walk away..he didnt want to be associated with him at all! It kind of made me sad because I did want them to be best buds.

So for awhile the dogs lived in my dads garage. Aaron was at WOC school and I was too scared to be home alone at Bragg so I moved in with my dad. The dogs weren't allowed in the house so thy had to stay in the garage =[ Anyways once we got to Korea the dogs had to be quarantined. Finally after a week Chief got to come home. (Home to a hotel) He was just so happy to be living with us as a family again he let Achilles in. Achilles drags him around on his leash and pulls his tail, chases him around and all is good.

Yesterday, I had Achilles on my lap and we started spinning in the computer chair and Achilles was screaming laughing. Chief was going koo koo. I couldnt figure out why he was trying to snap at us and stop the chair he did not like it AT ALL! Then today I was doing it again and I figured it out! He thought I was hurting Achilles. I was using my feet to spin the chair obviously and Chief was barking at me trying to bite my ankles! I thought he was protective of our family in general but today he showed me that he would protect us individually as well. It makes me proud to have such an amazing dog!

We no longer have Pepe due to a tragic accident but we have a crazy dog named Penelope, Penny for short. We named her Penelope because it resembled Pepe a bit. Chief was so depressed when Pepe passed we knew we had to get him a sister to help ease the pain. It did, he started eating again and stopped moping around. Anyways Penny was due to be euthanized as the shelter was full. Once a stray has been there for 72 hours they get put down if the shelter is full =[ We knew we had to save a dog in memory of Pepe. She is a psychotic dog with more energy then I have ever seen! She makes me incredibly mad but I love her to death! She is very protective over us! When we are outside taking walks, anytime a man gets close she stops, her hair stands up and she growls this viscous growl. It really makes me appreciate her. After all we want them to protect our family as well as being that dog that unconditionally loves us and she is just that. Its been hard for Aaron to let her in because he hasn't been around her very much and Pepe left very big 'shoes' to fill. She is a great companion for the kids though. They can do anything they want to her and she is OK with that!