“Bang!” Ornaments rolling down the side of the tree, christmas tree pines toppling on top of each other and the house is shaking like a earthquake just passed: now everything was quiet, almost too quiet. Pines now settled on the cream colored carpet. The door flung open and two objects charge through the pearly white wooden frame. The objects darted up the few stairs that were now placed behind them. Now headed toward the living room, one object darted passed the christmas tree, making the tree pines fly into the warm air and then drop to the ground. I realized that one of the objects was my funny grandma. But I couldn’t make the second object. Then I stare in the object's eyes and I then Realized that it wasn’t my grandma's present. It was a present for my brother and I. It was a fluffy white and dark gray dog staring at me. I leaned forward too try and pick the dog up but he darted away and left me no choice but to follow him. On the way of chasing him…. which was getting pretty tired, I gave my grandma a huge hug and I loudly mumbled “ Thank you, this is the best Christmas gift ever!”

She then told me quickly and fluently that “The dog you received just stayed at my house, your parents got him for you.” She was so thrilled to see my reaction, but she couldn’t for long because then I was back after the energetic, fluffy, and joyful dog. Finally I had caught up too him; quickly I  reached out to pick him up. I had the fluffiest ball of fur in my hands now and I then walked slowly not to startle the puppy as I wondered what is the puppy's’ name? Then I asked, “Grandma, What is his name?”

With a burst of excitement, she yelled “Koda, his name is koda,” as she glanced at me with a smile of joy on her face. As early as it was, I had to get ready now. I yelled “Thanks mom and dad!”

They both sequently yelled “You're welcome,” so that I could hear them talking to me. The puppy followed me down the first flight of stairs; confused as to how to get down the steps. He then finished the first flight of stairs and now was puzzled as why he had to complete another obstacle, the second flight of stairs. He checked out the basement joyful that he had a place to finally call home. Koda followed me into my room as I then made sure that he didn’t go to the bathroom on the carpet. He then let me pick him up and right then I realized that he was my family’s dog and we were keeping him for as long as we can.

“Hi, little puppy!” I said glancing at his happy face. I set the cute puppy down and he followed me upstairs after getting ready in 5 minutes. He trotted up the stairs and began to sniff my brother. We had to let him out every 15 - 20 minutes because we didn’t want him to go to the bathroom in the house. I began to take him out every 15 - 20 minutes and I realized if I had to do this everyday, I would get exhausted. My family and I then decided that we would put a bell on the door and train him, so that if he needed to go to the bathroom-koda would have to ring the bell. We all decided then that he was to little to begin with the bell, so we decided that we would first train him in the kitchen with hardwood flooring which worked out well for a couple weeks until he got use to us and then we began training him in the crate. He did well in the crate that he was given. He did go to the bathroom in the crate every once in awhile, but then when we thought he wasn’t going to go to the bathroom inside the crate anymore, and learned that he had to go to the bathroom outside. We moved him into the bathroom which has a tiled flooring. He did really well in the bathroom so then we let him roam around the house and go wherever he wants to go.

Over the course of 5 years in having koda, I realized that he is a lot of work and responsibility to feed him, walking him, giving him treats, and take care of him, but overall he is a great dog to have and he is the best dog to have.  It changed me me overall because now I have a dog too take care of everyday and I have too feed him, let him outside, and most importantly I have too make sure that he doesn’t run away.