Puppy's Life

Great Expectations

Puppyhood is full of great surprises

Bringing home your new puppy is an exciting time. You’ve prepared your home for the new addition and gathered supplies and food. Now you’re ready to play with your new bundle of energy. So it may be a surprise when you find him dozing in the middle of a meal. After all, growing up is busy work! From now on, life will be full of daily discoveries, and some great surprises along the way.

Hawaii resident Bernice O’Reilly couldn’t wait to show her adorable English Bulldog, Kaina, his new Honolulu home. “I’ve always wanted an English Bulldog,” O’Reilly says. “One day, an acquaintance of mine invited me to her home out in the North Shore where I saw her brood of darling puppies, including Kaina—with his tiny, scrunched-up face, his short, floppy ears, and his soft, wrinkled fur—and I couldn’t resist taking him back home with me.”

Though Kaina immediately felt at home with O’Reilly, his puppy dog days had their share of hiccups—literally! O’Reilly recalls the sudden reaction from Kaina: “We were playing together and Kaina was just this incredibly fun bolt of energy. All of a sudden, he did this little jolt and what sounded like a hiccup came out of his mouth. He even looked a little surprised himself!” This is rather common among puppies, especially after they eat, as they tend to ingest a lot of air. Kaina’s hiccups eventually disappeared as he got older, and the tight bond between the two continued on.

Just like a true friend, a puppy is loving and loyal, while at the same time he can surprise you. Kalani Hori, who lives in the heart of bustling Waikiki, is constantly surprised by his Boxer puppy’s unique sleeping patterns. “Sometimes Ringo is in the middle of eating his dog food when he dozes off without warning,” Hori says. Puppies can spend more than half the day sleeping, since they are steadily growing into adults. But during Ringo’s waking hours, Hori makes the most of their time by romping around together.

And sometimes a puppy’s ability to learn is the most astonishing discovery of all. Mark Nakamura is still amazed—and delighted—that his puppy is his favorite surfing companion. Yes, that’s right, surfing. So when it comes to hanging out, Nakamura and his Labrador Retriever, Slater, prefer to hang ten.

“Slater is a beach dog. He feels at home in the water. When I first took him to the beach, he would bark at the waves as they crashed, but now he surfs them with me on my longboard,” Nakamura says.

Step by step, Slater started out standing on a surfboard in the sand, then Nakamura moved the board closer and closer toward the water amid verbal praises and soothing pats on the head, until his furry novice was nicely afloat. But not all dogs take to the water like Slater. Remember to introduce your dog to new experiences gradually, and consult a veterinarian to ensure your pet is in shape.

“I think surfing is his favorite thing to do. His eyes light up and he starts wagging his tail the moment he sees me waxing my board, and when I open the garage door, he sprints out of the house and hops into my truck, ears perked-up and all. Slater gets much more attention when we’re out there [surfing].” The surfing duo was able to turn a surprising passion for water into a hobby they can both enjoy together.