Cole & Kensi's Story

Cole and Kensi's story starts a bit ago in a town not so far away, when we still lived in a tiny condo in Nipomo!  We were volunteer youth leaders, and headed out for a "Meet the Leaders" dinner where parents of youth group students could come meet their leaders.  We played a mixer game where one of the topics (according to the color of M&M you drew out of a cup) to talk about what your children, since we were just recently married, when Tim pulled that color out of the cup, he said we had no kids yet, but wanted to get a dog around Christmas (it being September still), but we hadn't decided on what kind (meaning we didn't agree, him wanting a black Labrador and me wanting a Rhodesian ridgeback).  One of the parents, Paul, said, "we have month old boxer puppies at home.  Come see them, they're rare sealed brindle boxers, meaning they're black."  I didn't know what that meant but I knew I wanted to go see some puppies! We went over to the Master's that evening.  And this is what happened:

A fat little puppy fell asleep in my arms.  Tim knew he was in trouble.
For the next few weeks after that, I knew I really, really wanted one of those puppies.  They were so sweet and cuddly and warm and soft and cute.  Tim said maybe, so we went back and visited them a second time, and they were outside running around on the grass.  We watched and played with all the little puppies.  The males, Ace, Jackson, Brewsky, Toby, and Cole; and the females, Daisy, Jackie, Stella.  Cole was the runt, he was a cute little puppy with a black spot in the white on his chest, and a white spot on his nose, and he kept trying to wrestle with my fingers and was climbing around in the agapanthus.

Cole at about 6 weeks.

Tim decided we could get a puppy.  HOORAY!!! However, when we went back this time, some of the puppies were already spoken for, so we looked at the other puppies with his Aunt Laura's criteria in mind:

1. A puppy who relaxes in your arms probably won't have a hyper temperament.
2. A puppy who is more independent will have an easier time leaving it's siblings.
3. A puppy who is interested in you when it's siblings around will bond with you better.

We narrowed it down to two puppies, a male and a female, Cole and Jackie.  Cole was a little more interested in us.  

On October 14, 2011, we got to bring Cole home!!! We went and visited the Master's and hung out for a while before loading into the car, Tim driving, me holding Cole on my lap, and headed for the In-N-Out drive through.  Of course little Cole cried on the way home, but he was playful and ate his dinner when we got home, and even got tired enough to decide that my blue blanket I was giving him was a good enough bed.  

Because he was only 8 weeks old and not potty trained, I woke up 3 times that night as Cole whined and took him outside to go potty.  He never went.  Instead, he just climbed into my lap and curled up and went to sleep.  I tried again the next night, and same thing.  Third night, I decided I had had enough of it, and didn't wake up for him.  He had no accident.  Before the week was over, he wasn't whining in his crate and would just curl up and go to sleep.  

Cole playing outside his first day home.

He was so much fun those first few weeks.  We literally took him EVERYWHERE.  He went to the Youngkin's for Young People's BBQ and while Tim lifted weights, he came to my cousin's the Deale's, he went to work with our friend Tiffany at the church, he came to high school cross-country races, he went to Tim's parents for babysitting while I worked a 7 hour day, and he came to Youth Group on the Halloween night.  

Cole at the Deale's.

Cole at Mimi and Pappy's.

Cole watching football with Daddy, Drew, and Callen. 

I dressed up as Dorothy and took my little Toto.  He was a hit.

Stevie (as Tracy), Shelby (as Dorothy), Cole (as Toto), Adam (as Billy Ray Cyrus), and Ryan (as Adam). 

Every Sunday, we showed the Master's pictures of Cole and how he was doing and asked about the rest of the puppies.  Poor little Stella and Jackie hadn't found homes yet.  Soon Stella found a home, with one of the ladies who worked in the church office.  Apparently when Cole was with Tiffany for the day while I worked, she took him to a meeting with her, and he fell asleep on Betsy's lap.  His sister Stella would make a great friend for the boxer they already had a home. 

Kensi June.

One Sunday while I was gone on the MADE girl's retreat up at Hume Lake, Tim said to the Masters, "Yeah, we're been thinking about coming back to get Jackie to be Cole's friend."  We eventually planned on getting two dogs to be friends, but were already noticing Cole seemed lonely.  Monday they called and left Tim a message asking if we would like to have Jackie as a gift, as she was 11 weeks old and soon they would be left with 3 dogs, Roxy (the mommy), and they were already keeping Toby.  

After a few days and a trial play time, we said yes.  That Wednesday, my cousin Stevie helped me as we took Cole and picked up Jackie and took her to the vet to get her shots.  We weren't crazy on the name Jackie, so Tim chose the name Kensi June for our little girl dog with a white chest and a pure black face, and GIANT ears.  

When bedtime came, Cole went in the crate and curled up and went to sleep, but little Kensi cried and cried.  It took a few days before she realized that it was bedtime and we sleep.

Kensi had a lot of catching up to do!  Cole already knew his name, he would respond to the come command sometimes, he would sit for a hand signal, he knew how to heel on a leash, and he knew where to go potty.

Cole & Kensi wrestling on Daddy's lap. 

Cole and Kensi meeting Samson (and Schatzi).  

Now at 13 months old, our "little dogs" weight around 60 pounds.  They've been spayed and neutered, and we've learned that Kensi is very allergic to bees, and Cole has environmental allergies and has a tendency to red eyes and ear infections!  We've moved to a house with a YARD, and finally have grass (after an expensive trip to the Pet ER to get a 1.5 inch foxtail out of Kensi's nose).  There is a dog park nearby, but their favorite is driving up to Olde Port San Luis Beach by Avila and playing in the ocean with all the other dogs.  Kensi is quite a jumper and likes to jump up to Tim's face and try to lick, and will also jump into the back of my SUV.  Cole is our little fetcher, and enjoys going running with his mommy.  

We'll see how they do in the next chapter of life where they get their mancub!