Busta bonded with the Batemans from the start, and now, he's the baby this newlywed couple had been expecting. Find out how he's getting along with his new parents.

The First Day
Well, the first day included a big trip to PETsMART. We splurged and bought toys, a doggy door and doghouse, and food and leashes, a collar, bones and treats. You name it, Busta's got it. We spoiled him, and then, reintroduced him to his aunts (my parents' Lab and Rottweiler). We played, and loved him to death.

Home Fit for a Pooch
We bought everything you could imagine, but the doggy door and the baby gate were the most useful. He hates his doghouse, but he is rarely out there enough to use it. His favorite toys are his soccer-type toys (he is his father's dog) and his mallard, which sounds shockingly like a real duck.

It's a Family Affair
Brent, my husband, is the leader of our pack; Busta is not an alpha dog, he is the baby. Busta listens more to Brent than to me most of the time. But he is not aggressive or dominant in anyway. Brent likes to go running with Busta — that is their favorite activity to do together; my favorite activity is snuggling, whether on the couch or in bed — Busta loves kisses and snuggles!

Made for Each Other
Busta is too smart for his own good, and so he tends to get in a bit of trouble. He is still very much a puppy. The best thing about him is the affection he shows to us. He is our baby, and we love him so much; he fits in perfectly — I cannot imagine our life without him.

Getting to Know You
The biggest adjustment for us, I think, is how we handle traveling and going out, because we now have someone else to think about. It has been an adjustment for me especially. I take him to Grandma and Papa's every day, to be with their dogs during the day, and I pick him up every night, so it is like doggy day care. I think of it as good training for kids. For Busta, I think the biggest adjustment has been us giving him boundaries — he is a wild child.

Favorite Pooch Pastime
Go on walks, go in the car, go to Grandma's, go running with Brent, and get his tummy scratched.

Paws and Sit
He is great! He can stay, sit, wait, lay down, give, take, and Brent is working on roll over. We had a good experience with obedience school.

No One's Perfect
He jumps up — we are having a hard time with that. We have tried a lot of different things, but nothing is working. He does not like to be alone; when he is left alone, he destroys everything in sight, digs and generally makes a mess. So, we take him with us just about everywhere and he goes to Grandma and Papa's while we are at work.

Lessons Learned
Wow! Dogs need boundaries and discipline like children, and they need love, praise and attention. This has been great training for kids. We have learned that this is a real commitment, and we have learned a new capacity for loving another living thing.