If you are following along with my blog, you’ll know that about a year and a half ago, I took an 8,000-mile road trip from Washington State to the east coast, down south, across to Texas, and back up again. I didn’t originally intend to make this trip so long or so far, but I kept adding friends, states – and puppies.

Dakota Blue is a French Bulldog and my first small dog – ever. My dog Cash (a boxer/lab mix) just loved the Frenchie that lived next door to us years ago and I thought that someday, a small dog would be a good choice for me and for Cash, so Frenchies have always been in the back of my mind. After I lost my (almost 16-year-old) dog JJ and found out that Cash was diagnosed with cancer, I was looking for a friend for Cash. As luck would have it, it didn’t take long with my list of friends, to find a litter of puppies on the way.

I saw the photos of the 4 tiny puppies and immediately fell in love with the “grey one”. I did some research on these dogs, asked a lot of questions, and a few weeks later, I decided that Dakota Blue would be coming to WA when he was old enough, which was 10 weeks old. I had already planned a road trip with a friend from Washington to Virginia but the puppies were in Austin Texas so that extended my trip to begin with. Right before Cash, my friend Martha, and I were set to leave for our trip, another friend reached out about a litter of 11 puppies looking for forever homes. They were Great Pyrenees and lab mix and were about the same age as Dakota. All of my dogs (except Dakota) have been labrador-something, black and white, and an “oops” litter – I couldn’t say no. I named him Patou after his father’s side of the family (great Pyrenees) because that seems to be his dominant side. He’s a herding dog and a great protector of us all. He’s only one month older than Dakota, and an old soul.

I know what everyone is thinking now, wasn’t it crazy to get two puppies at the same time? Yes, yes it was but at the same time, I knew that Cash wouldn’t be around for much longer and that these two would hopefully end up being the best of friends, and they are!! They are two peas in a pod.

We’ve had our ups and downs and our challenges for sure. Cash stepped up to the plate and did a wonderful job of training them to “go” outside, showing them the best vantage point in the yard to guard and what corner of the sofa was okay to be on. A few months after they arrived, Patou and I were attacked by a neighbor’s dog and I ended up with a broken knee and wrist. Patou sustained some cuts and scrapes but was mostly okay. Thanks to my friends, family, and neighbors, I was able to get through that ordeal and all three dogs absolutely loved all of the extra attention.

We lost Cash last November, so for the past year, it’s been just these two and their “sister” Piccalo the cat. She’s been very good at putting up with their puppy antics and now plays and snuggles with them on a regular basis.

Dakota and Patou are big and small, crazy and calm, brothers from another mother who are completely opposite but balance each other out and continue to entertain me daily. It can be chaotic at my home at times, but it’s also comforting with these three around to make me smile and I wouldn’t have it any other way.