Ak’is from Birth to Arrival Here at 8 Weeks Old
He was the pup with the red collar.
2 days old
7 days old
10 days old
4 weeks old
5 weeks old, investigating a piece of dogfood in the grass
7 weeks old, exploring a pool
Friends in Ft. Collins offered to fly to pick Ak’is in New York. They would fly home with him and then drive up here with him the next morning. If the airline wouldn’t let him fly in the cabin for any reason, they were going to rent a car and drive him here! They were bound and determined to get the pup to me. (Thankfully the flight went without a hitch.) What fantastic friends I’m blessed with! I’m still in awe.
My new pup’s registered and call names reflect that. He was from an “A” litter, so his registered name is “A Blessing.” His call name, Ak-is (pronounced uh-KEEZ) is the Navajo word for friend.
The pups had their temperament test on July 3rd, and the pup with the red collar tested as a good prospect for me. We began looking for flights that would work for everyone – Tracy, the breeder, and Debi and Don, my incredible friends. The pup had to be 8 weeks old in order to fly. They had to find a mesh carrier that would fit under the seat ahead of them – and that he would fit in, no small task since he was over 17#! And Tracy had to drive him 2.5 hours to reach the Syracuse airport, which was the closest airport that offered a direct flight to Denver International Airport.
There was one flight that would work. On Monday, Tracy got all the required paperwork – health certificate from the vet and so forth; while Debi & Don made the reservations. Tuesday, they left home about 5 am to drop off their dogs at a friend’s home for two days. They had be at the Denver airport by 7 a.m. to check in. They arrived in Syracuse just after 3 p.m., and Tracy was waiting with my pup. They had about an hour to let him potty and play before they checked in for their flight, with Tracy going inside the terminal with them in case anyone gave them any trouble over paperwork or the pup going on the plane. That, unfortunately, has been known to happen. Here they are exploring outside the airport, in the check-in line with the carrier, waiting for the flight to be called, and then Ak’is during the flight. Thank goodness you can unzip the top to let the pup have a little more room. He barely fit.
They arrived in Denver about 10 p.m., and got home to Ft. Collins after 11 p.m. They left Ft. Collins on Wednesday morning at 7 a.m. and got to my house at noon. Here he is riding in their car and on a potty stop.
And finally, here he is!
The last photo shows him crashed out on my bed that night before I put him in his crate and turned out the light. He slept until 5 am!
