If you’ve never owned a dog, you cannot understand how much love we have for this beast.  We brought him home as an 8 pound puppy, and now, at only 9 months, he is a whopping 70 pound lap-dog.  He does not understand that he is BIG.  He jumps up into our laps and almost flips us out of the recliner.  He has chewed up the bottoms of my barstools and most recently, the back of Justin’s recliner.  He sheds EVERYWHERE.

This picture was taken at 4 months.  Oh, how he has grown!

This photo was around 6 months.  I walked outside and captured them like this–completely impromptu!

Overall, for a 9 month puppy (yes, at 70 pounds, he is still a puppy!), he is pretty well-behaved.  He knows when small children come around he has to be calm.  He can sit and lay down.  He goes to the door when he needs go outside.  He plays fetch.

He lets both girls dress him up and pull on him and lay on him and completely mistreat him without ever getting angry.

He is protective.  Of me.  Of both girls.  Not so much of Justin, but that’s ok.  I think he would be if it was ever needed 🙂

And even though I love him like a 3rd child, Kyndall is absolutely, positively the MOST in love with him.  She calls him her pillow-pet.  Get it?  He’s a pet, and she uses him as a pillow.  (She thinks that’s hilarious!)  She snuggles with him constantly.  If they are in the same room, they are touching.  She lays on him, he lays on her.  It is the most precious thing ever.
The above photo was taken tonight.  He is not supposed to be in her room.  She snuck him in so she could cuddle with him before bed, while she was watching tv.  Obviously, he didn’t care one bit!
I have had inside dogs growing up, but always small, cute ones.  Yorkies, mostly.  There is just something about a big, snuggly dog that absolutely steals your heart.  The West family is absolutely wrapped around these big, heavy paws 🙂