The First Month with my New Guinea Singing Dog-Embarking on the Next Chapter of our Journey

The day finally came it was a sleepless night of anticipation, excitement and endless thoughts of what was to come. My alarm blared at 2:30am signaling me to get up, get ready and get on the road to start my 6 hour journey to meet my new companion, an 8 week old New Guinea singing dog.

After a lengthy drive I arrived at my location, the home that bred, cared for and loved my new best friend for the first 8 weeks of her life. A million thoughts ran though my head. Would she bond to me? How would she adjust to her new surrounding? What were her parents like? As I walked up to the door I was greeted by two beautiful singers who, through a carefully planned breeding by New Guinea Singing Dog Conservation Society, produced a singleton puppy named Aria. The puppy who I was being entrusted with and who would make me fall so deeply in love with the breed there was absolutely no looking back.  Their warm welcome immediately put my mind at ease as they showered me with face sniffs and kisses, paving the way for the moment I would meet my girl.

Aria immediately ran over and greeted me with such enthusiasm and I knew instantly I was in love. I started my drive back home and I had anticipated like most other puppies Aria would sleep most of the long drive back. Aria, with her inquisitive nature, proved me wrong and remained wide awake, observing and inserting herself into every activity in the car. This was my first taste of the breed's lively busy body personality. She strategically positioned herself on my lap, ensuring she had a clear view of the front seats, hinting to anyone with a snack that she was ready to share.

I had anticipated a longer adjustment period where Aria would need to take some time to adjust to her new routine, new people and most importantly bond to me. Once again she proved me wrong. She walked though the door like she had lived there her whole life happy to greet anybody she came across. She settled nicely into a routine the first week, sleeping quietly in her crate throughout the night, taking regular naps in her pen and starting on some basic engagement exercises. I was amazed by just how quickly she was wiling to engage with me and by just how much she enjoyed the interactions and sessions. She certainly was not afraid to let me know when she was displeased and I got to experience the singer scream from the start whenever she was put in her pen and wasn’t quite ready for downtime.

Moving into the next few weeks we continued to build a daily routine and the thing I noticed above all else was her brain was constantly going. She would observe members of the household, always watching and puzzling out what they were doing. She had such a drive for engagement and would seek out attention and love from anybody who was willing to make her the absolute center of attention in that moment. Aria picked up on basic obedience incredibly quickly learning sit, down, stay and come in just a matter of sessions and we continue to strengthen these skills and work towards adding in a few more.

Potty training also made strides, with Aria transitioning from frequent accidents to minimal or none in a day, and now signaling when she needs go outside. When accidents have happened it has typically been because I wasn’t fast enough in picking up on her request, silly human. Her vocalizations have increased and she is singing more and for longer each day. She is showing a preference for singing with the higher pitch of females. My theory is the higher pitch still reminds her of her mom so I’ll have to see how long that preference holds.

Aria makes her presence known wherever she goes. She has made grown men, shopping for tools, stop what they’re doing kneel down and give her their undivided attention. She has drawn children under her spell accepting all the love from them as they look at their parents and say “can we get one?”. Most anecdotally she has drawn the attention of all of the staff and shoppers at the pet store as she screamed at me to be put down because she did not want to be carried. Despite her loud protest, her charm made them all fall under her spell.

Aria, like any other puppy, had her challenging moments including a mischievous "gremlin hour" and the ongoing process of learning manners and settling in the company of other dogs. How is she different than any other primitive breed puppy? She really isn’t! She has unique qualities that distinguish the breed like her busy body nature, her quick ease to pick up new skills (good and bad), her unique vocalization and her need to be the utmost center of attention wherever she goes, but these qualities are what most of us love about them.

As we continue our journey together, Aria and I have big goals and exciting milestones ahead. We look forward to showcasing the capabilities of this remarkable breed, proving that the New Guinea Singing Dog is indeed one worth celebrating. Stay tuned for more adventures!"