Getting a Puppy

Charlie was running through the neighborhood to his friend’s house to see if they could have a nerf gun war. Charlie’s friend’s name was Anders. Anders was nine years old and had moved to the neighborhood about a year ago. He had a little brother named Dag and they had a golden retriever dog named Cody. Ander’s mom’s name was Jenny and his dad’s name was Jen.

When Charlie got to Anders’ house he knocked on the door. Anders opened it.

“Do you want to have a nerf gun war?” asked Charlie.

“Sure! I’ll go grab my nerf guns,” said Anders.

When they got back to Charlie’s house, they started to pick bases. Anders picked the deck because he thought that it was better because it was higher and it had a railing so it would stop some of the foam bullets. Charlie picked the playset because it had many holes to shoot through and there were many places to escape.

“The rules are: headshots don’t count, we each have five lives and you can’t go in the other player’s base,” said Charlie.

“The battle begins in 3, 2, 1, go!” said Anders.

The two boys battled until they both had one life left. Anders was out of bullets and so was Charlie. They both left their bases and raced around the yard for bullets. They both managed to get back to their bases safely, but Anders still had to reload his gun. Charlie shot a bullet and it hit Anders in the leg.

“I won, I won,” yelled Charlie.

“Good game,’’ said Anders.

“You too,” said Charlie. “What do you want to do now?” Charlie asked.

“How about knee hockey?” said Anders. Anders always liked playing this version of hockey. Anders was good at shooting the foam ball with a slap shot even though he was on his knees.

“Sure!” said Charlie.

They went to the garage to get the game set up. Charlie picked his favorite knee hockey stick. It was bright blue with dark red letters. Anders got a bright blue stick with white letters on it.

Once they set it up Charlie let Anders start with the ball. After a while the score was nine to nine and Charlie had the ball. He walked slowly towards Anders, stick-handling the ball. Then he faked left, went right and shot it upper left because Anders thought he was going to shoot right so he left the left side open.

After the game Anders said that he should probably go home for dinner. Charlie waved goodbye and walked toward his house.

When he got inside his dad asked him to come here. He flipped open his iPad and showed him an email. Charlie’s jaw hit the floor, they were going to get a puppy!

“We are going to get a puppy!” screamed Evie, Charlie’s little sister.

“We should start getting things ready for the puppy,” said Mom.

“We need to pick out a name for the puppy,” said Charlie.

“How about Koda?” asked Dad.

“I like it,” said Mom.

“And so do I,” said Charlie and Evie.

“Well then our dog’s name will be Koda,” said Mom.

To get ready for the puppy they had to block off the puzzle area, gate off the downstairs and entry way, set up the kennel, and gate off the music corner.

“Well, I think we are ready for the puppy to arrive,” said Mom.

When the big day came, there was a knock on the door. Charlie opened the door but he didn’t see anyone. Charlie was going to go outside to see what was going on but he tripped on a small brown box. Then the box moved a little bit. Charlie could hear scratching from inside the box, he called his dad from downstairs. Once his dad got down there Charlie opened the box and the puppy was looking at them. Puppy was here!

Koda was dark brown and about the size of a bowling pin. Charlie asked his dad, “What kind of dog is Koda again?”

“He is a Pudelpointer,” answered his dad.

The second we took him out of the box he started crying and scratching at the door. Charlie’s dad picked Koda up and held him in his arms. Once Koda stopped whining, his dad set him on the ground. Koda waddled towards the living room and right before he reached the two stairs that go down to the living room his legs went out from under him and he did the splits.

Dad had to pick him up so he could get back on his feet and then he fell forward and rolled down the stairs. He walked over to his new dog bed and fell asleep. Well, he fell asleep for about two seconds because Evie came down the stairs and saw Koda and ran to his bed to pick him up. Koda managed to squirm out of Evie’s arms and land on his feet.

Koda then saw the most amazing thing, it was a squeaky toy that looked like a hippo. Koda tried to run to the toy but instead of running, Koda hopped. Right before he got to the toy he tried to pounce on it but when he landed on the toy it squeaked. Koda got so scared that he ran the opposite way as fast as he could. But he forgot the stairs were there so he fell flat on his face. Charlie burst out laughing. In fact, he laughed so hard he fell off the couch.

“I think we have the funniest dog ever,” said Charlie.

“And the cutest,” said Evie.

“What kind of dog is Koda again?” asked Charlie.

I think it is pronounced a Pudelpointer,” said his dad.

I’ve never heard of that kind of dog,” said Charlie.

“It is a very rare kind of dog,” said Dad. “It is a hunting dog so when Koda gets older we will be able to hunt things like ducks and pheasants.”

“I want to go hunting,” said Charlie.

“You have to be a little bit older before you can go hunting with him,” said Dad.

Then Koda walked over to a corner of the house and turned around and charged at the couch. He tried to jump up on the couch. But he didn’t jump high enough so he bounced off the couch. The second time Koda tried to jump on the couch, Dad grabbed him before he hurt himself.

“Charlie, can you take the dog out please?” asked Mom.

“Sure!” said Charlie.

“Where is the leash for Koda?” asked Charlie

“I put it on top of Koda’s kennel.”

“Ok thanks.”

It was a nice day for a walk so Charlie walked Koda to the neighbors’ house and back. When they got back inside. Charlie sat on the couch and threw Koda’s toy across the living room and Koda ran for it and grabbed the toy but he couldn’t pick it up so he had to push it back to Charlie.

“Koda isn’t as good as the other dogs that I have had in my life but he is ok,” Charlie thought.

“Charlie, time to get ready for bed!” said Mom.

“Ok I will,” said Charlie. He changed into his pajamas and brushed his teeth.

Once Charlie was ready and lying in bed his mom came in the room and said, “Somebody wanted to join you for the night.”

“Who?” wondered Charlie.

Just then Charlie felt paws on his stomach. Koda turned around a couple times then lied down and put his head on Charlie’s chest and fell asleep.

Charlie woke up to the sound of barking and scratching. Koda was scratching his door to go downstairs. “Here, I will help,” said Charlie.

He opened the door and Koda darted down the hallway towards the living room and jumped on the couch.

Charlie decided to take Koda for a walk around the block. It was cold and windy so Charlie went one time around the block instead of two. Koda started to lift his paws because they were getting so cold.

When they got back inside Charlie looked at the time and it was 4:13 a.m.! “Holy buckets it’s early in the morning,” exclaimed Charlie. “Let’s go back upstairs to bed.”

Charlie carried Koda, who was now sleeping on the couch, up to his room and he lied down and put Koda on his chest and then thought to himself, “Maybe Koda is the best dog after all.”