Our puppy, Beau, is almost six months old.  That’s him, right there.

The Good News?  He’s “pad trained.”

The Bad News?  We never meant to “pad train” him.

My friend Kim and her family adopted their new Cockapoo puppy, Maggie, the very same week we adopted Beau.  (It’s important to note that we both did this despite the fact that neither one of us has a fenced yard.)

Here’s Maggie:

Kim and her hubby made the necessary sacrifices (even setting their alarms at two-hour intervals during the night!) to take Maggie out in the frigid MN temperatures to do what Cockapoos do.

I admired their dedication.

But I cowered at the thought of enduring sleep deprivation while battling the WY winter wind.  I honestly had no intention of freezing my tail off (no pun intended) in the middle of the night, waiting for Shih Tzus to do what Shih Tzus do.

The result?  Their pup is potty trained.  Ours is, well, not.

They had a plan.  We did not.  So we got something we hadn’t quite planned for.

There are worse things, I suppose.  I mean, at least he goes on the pads, right?  But at $23 a pop, puppy pads are a significant, unanticipated monthly expense.

And did I mention the feeling of panic that comes over us when the snow outside is mounting and the pad count inside is dwindling?

Or the fact that numerous puppy pads arranged strategically around the house aren’t exactly the kind of dramatic decorating statement I was looking to make?  (Welcome to our home.  Watch your step.)

He who fails to plan is planning to fail. (Winston Churchill)

I am not by nature a planner.  But I am learning that a failure to plan means I will most likely succeed…at something else.

Careful planning puts you ahead in the long run…
(Proverbs 21:5a, The Message)

Wise words from King Solomon, illustrated by my wise fellow-puppy-parent friends.  While we pick up soiled pads, they enjoy a clean house and a potty trained pup.  Planning, you see, has its perks.

I may not be a planner.  And I may be a slow learner.  But who says you can’t teach an “old dog” (that would be me) new tricks?  It’s never too late to begin again.

It might just be time to make A PLAN.

Potty Training?  Take Two.