By Natalie Lester, PetSafe Brand Communications Specialist
I can’t believe it has almost been a year since I entered the crazy world of pet ownership on my own. Sure, I’d had family pets growing up, but there were always other two-legged family members to take care of the four-legged ones if I had homework or practice ran late. That was not the case when I brought Emma home. It was just her and me! If I didn’t care for her every need (and want), no one else would.
I remember the months leading up to finding her. I cried last Valentine’s Day because my boyfriend had given me a box of chocolates with puppies on the front in an attempt to cheer me up from not being able to find my perfect furry friend. But that turned into a tearful disaster as I burst into tears because I wanted a puppy SO bad. It didn’t help that I had gotten him Lady and the Tramp on DVD. I cried again when we watched it that night. I kept saying, “I wish Emma was here” even though I didn’t have or know her yet! 
Natalie was so scared but also so excited when she finally found and adopted Emma. They have been together a year and are looking for a way to celebrate.
I remember how scared I was once I finally found her and took her home. I knew what a responsibility I was undertaking, and had made the necessary purchases. Yet, it was still never real until she was actually in my arms, on our way home. I couldn’t believe this cute little puppy was really mine. It was such an overwhelming emotion of joy and terror at the same time – what if I messed up?
The first few months were a lot harder than I expected. We dealt with potty training and vet visits. We made new friends at work and at the dog park. She’s learned basic obedience and few other tricks. Somewhere along the way, a year has almost passed and we’ll celebrate our first fur-iversary in a few weeks. I thought I had crossed off my list of firsts with her when we celebrated her first birthday, but then I remembered I had this last one to look forward to. I need your help.
What is the best way to celebrate a year together? What do you and your pets do to celebrate how long you have been in each other’s lives? Leave your suggestion in the comment section and I’ll pick one to do with Emma. Thanks in advance for all your help.
ABOUT NATALIE As the PetSafe Brand Communications Specialist, Natalie manages the PetSafe brand across multiple social and content sites, including The Paw Print blog, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. She also generates other brand related content including product information for retailers, video scripts, and public relations. Before PetSafe, Natalie worked in the local media covering politics, education, and religion. Natalie’s puppy, Emma, spends almost as much time in the office as she does.
