They grow up so fast...

Its hard sending your baby off to school.

I was a fairly nervous new parent today as Otto and I walked into his first day at puppy preschool,  though he kept it together and exuded limitless confidence in his jazzy new control harness - I was a bit of a wreck. I was unsure of how things would play out: how will he handle having to sit still and learn, will the other kids will be nice to him, will his teacher will appreciate what a perfect little guy he is? 

Turns out Otto is kind of every puppy parent's worst nightmare: 

The only kid in class barking while the teacher is talking. 

Relentlessly bullying the tiny maltese next to us. 

Being easily distracted by the admittedly cute female chocolate lab in class, Kona. 

Dare I say, the most behaviorally challenged kid in class.

Not that I myself was excelling at puppy preschool - I dropped his whole treat bag during the first exercise - free for all! Good thing we have 8 more weeks to get this down, progress must be made... For both of us. 

Otto was able to start obedience classes this week because he turned the big 3 months. Time flies. So in honor of the little guy's every growing list of milestones, may I present:

{Otto Facts at 3 Months Old}

He is a biter. 
Seriously, my arms look like I have a pet piranha. As he's gotten bigger, and his fangs sharper, skin has been broken. I know he doesn't mean to hurt me, and he's so dang cute, but seriously - the biting has gotta go Otto!

He is a chewer.
He shreds anything he can get his paws on. Including an ethernet cord, vital to the installation process, 5 minutes before the comcast guy shows up to do our internet, after waiting 1.5wks for this appointment....Thanks little dog!

{in more irreverent circles, this picture is entitled "Jesus and the Lab}

He's kinda wussy.
For a lab he sure doesn't like running, hiking or the water. So we took him on an activity that encapsulated all of his hates: hiking to dog lake.

His given name is in fact Otto Von Bismarck. 
However, he is called by various people at various times: little bear, otter pop, otto bot, little dog, and pooch. He comes to all names about equally, in that he doesn't come to any of them.

This Otto's bed, aka where expensive toys go to die.
Seriously, I've tried every toy known to man, read every amazon review promising a "bite proof" toy. Nope, my 20 lb. lab shreds any and everything. Including this blue ball - which was toted as "indestructible."

He still doesn't sleep through the night. 
I get to take him out to potty at about 3am every night. In the dark, in my nightgown, with a headlamp on. Its pretty sweet.

I think by this point you must be saying to yourself one of the following things:

A) This girl needs a job/a life/ a hobby

B) There is an unhealthy amount of dog obsession going on here

C) The line between pet and surrogate child is getting awfully blurry, and its scary

D) All of the Above*

* this is the correct answer