It finally happened. After what felt like months of waiting, Kyle and I finally got to take home our new golden retriever puppy last week. Her name is Nala, and she’s the most precious thing I’ve ever laid eyes on. Seriously, whoever said you can’t buy happiness forgot about puppies. It’s been really tough living so far from family and friends in Columbia, and she’s just the little companion I needed. Nala is half American Golden and half English Golden, and she’s playful, sweet, and ridiculously smart. She can already fetch, sit, lay down, and go potty in the right place. Maybe we got lucky, but ugh, she’s perfect. 

Nala’s only 8 weeks old, and she’s already over 10 pounds, which is pretty big for a new golden retriever puppy. What can I say? She likes to eat, just like her mama. Since she grows by the minute, I asked my friend Catherine Rhodes to take some family photos for us during our first week together. Kyle and I are going to be that crazy couple who has 50 pictures of their dog and no one else on display all over the house– and we’re totally okay with it. Keep reading for our outfit details (I seriously love this monogrammed pullover and want one in every color), plus all of our most trusted golden retriever puppy care resources.

Shop My Outfit: Pink Monogrammed Pullover Sweater, $35 (currently on sale) | Ankle Skinny Jeans, $220 | Classic Bean Boots, $129 | Shop Kyle’s Outfit: Gray Pullover, $28 (similar style linked; exact North Face is no longer available) | Blue Button Down, $60 (similar style linked) | Khaki Pants, $128 (Kyle’s favorite work pants ever! He has them in 3 colors) | All Bird Wool Runner Sneakers, $95

Golden Retriever Puppy Care Resources

I’m going to be totally transparent– until now, my mom has raised all my animals. I have no experience with puppy care, and neither does Kyle. So, to prepare ourselves, we’ve been slowly learning everything we can possibly learn about golden retriever puppy care over the past few weeks. If you’re in a similar boat, I’ve listed some books and tutorials we’ve found particularly helpful below! 

Random Side Note: Ellen DeGeneres created a (very random) collection of precious pet products that can only be found at PetSmart. The items are a little pricey, but I highly recommend taking a peek! She’s designed products for both cats and dogs, and they’re some of the cutest toys I’ve ever seen. Nala has several, including her pink love bone. Pretty much everything else we’ve gotten from Walmart (her leopard blanket was only $2.50!), Ikea, and Amazon. 

Helpful Books

• The Art of Raising a Puppy by Monks of New Skete (an awesome gift from Kyle’s cousin)
• How to Be Your Dog’s Best Friend by Monks of New Skete (we loved The Art of Raising a Puppy so much that we bought their other book, too)
• Training the Best Dog Ever by Dawn Sylvia-Stasiewicz and Larry Kay (features a super helpful 5-week program focused on positive reinforcement)
• Don’t Shoot the Dog by Karen Pryor (another great resource for anyone interested in positive reinforcement)

Helpful Video Coaching Sites

• Doggy Dan’s Online Dog Training (monthly subscription service; you can test it out with a $1 trial)
• Zak George’s Dog Training rEvolution (free YouTube channel)
• eHow Pets with Victoria Stilwell (free YouTube channel)

Oh, and whenever we watch puppy training videos in our living room, Nala’s eyes are glued on the TV. It’s the cutest thing!

In conclusion, I hope you like puppies– cause you’re going to be seeing a lot of Nala on my blog and social media channels from now on! Also, if you know of any good dog trainers in the Central Missouri area, please leave me a comment or shoot me an email! We’re looking!