Day 1: What a day. We got a call from Winnies Legacy Canine Rescue - Dog & Puppies, VT this morning that this guy and another pup were available for adoption. Shelly and I headed over this afternoon and ended up taking this little dude home. He was rescued from South Carolina. Him and eleven brothers and sisters were found with their mom under a trailer. He was the last one to find a home. He slept for nearly 3.5 hours on Shelly's lap as we ran a few errands and made the drive back home. Predictably, he is now on a rampage in our house. Welcome home bud.

Day 2: His name is Nico. Even though Khyber has been gone for several months he is welcoming Nico into our home. One of Khyber's blankets was rubbed on a blanket used with Nico's brothers and sisters so he felt at home with us. His favorite toy is one of Khyber's frisbees. He eats out of Khyber's bowls. And he got really excited when we pulled out Khyber's bed. He is his own dog, but is following in the footsteps of a big brother he never met.

Day 3: It's been a long time since either Shelly or I have had a puppy. Khyber was rescued at 9 months old. Nico is great 95% of the time but turns into a biting terror just before nap time. He inherited a lot of toys from Khyber but not a Kong. Today we bought him two so we always have a frozen one filled with peanut butter and treats on hand. They already are a great distraction for the delirious puppy that lets his manners slip. On the flip side, he has fully learned his name, has a great recall, and sits before eating his food. He also had his first visit to Lake Placid Animal Hospital today. They picked him up in the parking lot. He reportedly did well and our vet Dr. Flanigan said he has 'quite the personality.' He had just woken up from a three-hour nap so I assume he was full of himself during his visit. It was a big day for a little pup.

Day 4: It's been a long time since either Shelly or I have had a puppy. Khyber was rescued at 9 months old. Nico is great 95% of the time but turns into a biting terror just before nap time. He inherited a lot of toys from Khyber but not a Kong. Today we bought him two so we always have a frozen one filled with peanut butter and treats on hand. They already are a great distraction for the delirious puppy that lets his manners slip. On the flip side, he has fully learned his name, has a great recall, and sits before eating his food. He also had his first visit to Lake Placid Animal Hospital today. They picked him up in the parking lot. He reportedly did well and our vet Dr. Flanigan said he has 'quite the personality.' He had just woken up from a three-hour nap so I assume he was full of himself during his visit. It was a big day for a little pup.

Day 5: We were hoping to bring Nico out on the boat this evening, but the rain came forcing us to stay indoors. This photo pretty much sums up our living room right now. Nylabones (x3), frisbee (x1), Kongs (x2), stuffed duck (x1), blankets, and a dog bed. It's funny watching him run around with a tennis ball in his mouth, it doesn't seem like it should fit. When he is in the right state of mind he will retrieve a few times. We also practiced following in the yard as I filled our bird feeders. Tomorrow or Sunday we'll get him out on the water.

Day 6: Teaching a dog to be comfortable in all kinds of strange situations is really important if they are going to be out and about all the time. Little Nico is too young to go for long walks or hikes all under his own power. This doesn't mean he can't come along. Today we loaded a pack full of old jackets, dropped Nico in, secured his harness to the pack for safety, and headed out for a walk in the woods. A pocket full of treats and plenty of new sights and sounds made it a positive experience. I wouldn't be surprised if he is napping in the pack in a few days. Photo credit: Shelly Cihan

Day 7: Nico went on his first boat ride today. He did wonderfully but was a little uncertain of the wind blowing through his ears. We kept it slow most of the time out. Nico assumed the same spot Khyber enjoyed across the back of the boat. Our friend Peter stopped by for a visit. We all kept appropriately distanced except for Nico who hung out with Peter at the back of the boat.

Day 8: Nico: I'm just going to sit here and look cute. Me: Ok, I suppose I can forgive you for being a little crazy monster 15 minutes ago. Nico had his first big adventure through the neighborhood. Shelly and I usually walk 2.5 miles or so each evening but little Nico can't walk that far. We let him walk a little way and then put him in the pack. He put up quite the fight because he didn't understand why all of the fun of exploring was coming to an end. Once in the pack, he settled down and we let him walk a little more later on. The second go-around with the pack went much better.

Day 9: Nico had his second puppy play date with Chester and Kismet. He was much more confident this time around. At one point Chester and Kismet started roughhousing. Nico wanted to get in on the action, but we made him sit back because he was apt to get trampled. Once they were finished Nico went over to Kismet and started clearly mimicking their behavior. He yipped and growled while pouncing towards Kismet. When he was feeling really bold he would touch her front paw with his mouth. She just sat there and looked at him like he was a fly on the wall.

Day 10: Nico met Chloe, a Golden Retriever that is almost 1 year old. Chloe started out a little over-excited about her new friend and Nico wasn't sure he could keep up. It wasn't long before he came out of his shell and started playing rough with Chloe. She was incredibly tolerant of the young puppy that is still learning how to play with others. We now have a completely exhausted puppy on our hands. Thanks Jen, Peter, and Jillian for helping to socialize Nico!

Day 11: We brought Nico to the beach today to introduce him to the water. He was ok with the waves lapping at his front paws but was hesitant to go in further. A little later he met Gouda, our friend Kate's yellow lab. Nico appeared to have a mind-blowing experience when he saw Gouda run down a bank and into the water. We thought for a second he was going to jump after him, but he kept all four paws on solid ground.

Day 12: If there is anything that should go viral on the internet it should be this cute little rescue pup in the cutest little life jacket. Nico is continuing to learn about the ways of the water. Today I dove off the back of the boat and he watched with some amusement. Then he spent some time on the swim deck with the water lapping at his feet. He wasn't sure what was happening when I swam over to him but then came over and proceeded to lick all of the water off my face. At 10 weeks I'm not expecting him to be an automatic water dog. At this point it's all about baby steps and positive experiences. The goal is to have him diving off the boat by the end of the summer.

Day 13: Nico made another puppy friend. Four-month-old Parker is a ball of fluffy fur. Nico had a fun time rolling around with him, as well as chasing and roughhousing. In the past 13 days, he's met 15 new people, including one child, and 5 dogs. We plan to keep him on a busy schedule so that he is a well-socialized dog.

Day 14: Nico says, "don't forget to stop to smell the flowers." Everything in Nico's world right now is new and exciting. It's so much fun, and at times frustrating, watching him experience the world. Everything ends up in his mouth, he stops in his tracks at every new noise, and he wants to be in the middle of anything we are doing. At the same time, it's nice to be reminded that the world is a wonderful and exciting place. The things we take for granted we really shouldn't. We could all benefit from slowing down and appreciating the world around us.

Day 15: Nico went for his first walk in the woods behind our house. He's been here before, but not under his own power. We keep his excursions short so we don't stress his growing bones. He really enjoyed all of the sticks he found along the way. This one was too good to pass up and so he spent a few minutes chewing it before continuing on. Once he gets past the teething stage sticks will be off-limits, I've learned the hard way they aren't the best chew toy for dogs.

Day 16: The heat has us all running a little slow. Nico took interest in the hose today, biting and licking the water. Other than that most of the day has been taken up with napping with short bits of puppy play and terrorizing Shelly and I.

Day 17: I was away from 5am to 4pm today, leaving Shelly to be on Nico duty all day. He was really excited when I returned home. This was the longest we've been apart since he joined the family. I'm sure he really missed one of his favorite chew toys, my hands... Depending on his mood and the time of day, a chin rub turns into thumb gnawing.

Day 18: Doing my best to make Nico look like the big boy that he thinks he is. This little guy has a lot of spunk in him. He also has A LOT to learn, we're doing our best to teach him the ways of dog life.

Day 19: Incoming! Kismet entertained Nico’s puppy enthusiasm this evening. She tolerated, and even welcomed, him jumping all over her. She is great at teaching Nico when enough is enough. Her tolerance for his antics change, forcing him to learn when another dog is willing to play a little rough and when they want to be left alone.

Day 20: Nico joined Shelly and I for a trip to Lowes today. We were headed out to get material to rebuild a fence in our yard. For us folks living in rural upstate NY going to Lowes means a little over a one hour drive to the big city of Plattsburgh. It was way busier than we thought and as luck would have it all of the fence pickets were picked over not leaving us enough to rebuild our fence. Nico came along in the shopping cart and scored lots of love from plenty of people. Everyone was wearing masks and all asked if it was ok to approach to meet him. It was a socialization overload for the little dude and he even scored a couple treats from a nice employee. On the ride home he settled in on the custom dog platform I built for Khyber in the cab of my truck. He's slowly learning the ways of a good doggie sidekick.

Day 21: Me: Um, Nico, that string is wrapped around my neck... Nico: It's ok, Dad, I'm gonna kill this evil string. It will never hurt anyone ever again. One minute I'm taking a photo of Nico playing with his tennis ball, the next he's playing tug of war with the strings on my hoodie. And so it goes living with a puppy.

Day 22: What kind of mutt is Nico? There have been a lot of guesses as to what breeds are in Nico. Feel free to give yours in the comments below! We decided to do an Embark Vet breed + health genetic test to find out. We don't care what he is but we're curious to know his lineage, as well as anything health-wise we might want to be on the lookout for. He just chewed on the end of the swap as we collected his saliva for the test. It was easy and painless. You can get $50 off their Breed + Health test during the month of June. Use coupon code CAMP50 when ordering here >> https://adk.photos/Embark-June50 Photo credit: Shelly Cihan

Day 23: Nico had his first bath tonight. My philosophy with dogs is to always do things with them and never reinforce fear. So Nico and I got in the tub together. He wasn’t thrilled at first but quickly realized nothing bad was going to happen. He sat on my lap the entire time and was ok with water being poured over him. Shelly and I both scrubbed him with shampoo and I think he enjoyed all the rubbing. Copious amounts of treats were given to round out the positive experience. Photo credit: Shelly Cihan

Day 24: Nico says, "Dad, this log is too big for me to jump over. I need your help!" Nico joined me for a trip to the office today. He's getting better and better in the truck. On our way we stopped at Monument Falls along the West Branch Ausable River for a short walk and to introduce Nico to the river we work to protect. He had a great time exploring the trails and banks of the river. At the office he met two co-workers and we picked up one of Khyber's old beds to put on the dog platform in the cab of my truck. We visited A&W in Wilmington for lunch. Nico really enjoyed meeting the folks there. And surprisingly, he didn't try too hard to eat my burger and fries. After lunch we had 2 more hours of errands to run. He napped on his newly inherited bed and did well hanging out in the truck while I was out at a few places.

Day 25: Isn't he handsome? Today is Shelly's birthday. We picked up food from Purple Saige Bistro with the plan of eating on the boat during a sunset cruise. I made Shelly chocolate flourless cake, with a chocolate glaze, and salted maple whipped cream for her birthday cake. Unfortunately, the battery on the boat was dead and our jumper didn't have enough to get her going. We all took it in stride and just hung out on the boat anyway. Our dinner was delicious and it was nice being on the water. Nico was thoroughly interested in what the dogs had to say a few docks down. Shelly is the president of Northern New York Audubon and is raising money for them in lieu of birthday gifts.

Day 26: We got the boat running this evening. Yay! Shelly water skied for the first time this year, so close to hitting her goal of water skiing on her birthday. I set Nico down in water up to his belly and he froze in place. He didn't realize he could walk forward but was ok with backing up into deeper water... I'm not sure what was running through his little mind, but eventually, we got him to realize he can walk in the water. Our friend Jen set him down in water that was within a quarter-inch of being deep enough that he needed to swim and he took off for Shelly, half swimming half walking. He's still a little uncertain of the water. After all the excitement of learning about the water and coping with the water skiing he was happy to bury his face in Shelly's arms for a slow ride back to the dock.

Day 27: Nico needed to go to the bathroom in the rain, so I grabbed an umbrella and headed outside with him. He's never seen an umbrella before and has only ever been in the rain once when we first got him and he was being carried outside. He had a lot to say about all of it. I'm not sure if it was the umbrella, rain, or both, but he wasn't keen on following me outside. He's a talker, which we often laugh at because he makes all kinds of different noises. He talks the most when he wants to give a little sass.

Day 28: It's hard to believe it's been four weeks with this little guy. One thing is for certain, he is a snuggler. We wore him out today as we did work in the garden and then took him for a boat ride. He went flying around the boat on a rampage for a few moments and then settled in curled up in his blanket next to Shelly. At night he goes down so hard that Shelly picks him up for some couch snuggling and he doesn't even wake up.

Day 29: It might seem like these photos and posts happen with little effort, but that often isn't the case. Some happen organically, Nico has a new experience and I bring the camera along. Other times, I forget to bring my camera and do what I can with my cell phone. And then there are days where the light is fading and no photos have been captured so we head out for a quickie photo shoot. All the while I try to weave together some sort of story or message that the photo and caption convey. Back at home, it takes anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to go through the images from the day, edit a few, then select the best of the bunch. So far I've captured 1,697 images of Nico, of those, you all have seen 29. Most are out of focus or poorly composed. I have to admit that at times I wonder how far I will be able to take this journey of a photo a day. Some days it feels like the photo and story are a burden. I know there will be a point in the future when I'm not around Nico to take the photo, can I get someone to stand in? I'm slowly trying to teach Shelly 🙂. But what happens when we both go off on vacation? Will friends or family be up for helping? Or do we put Nico on pause for a short while? I think its a project worth pursuing. There is so much negativity in the world these days, especially on social media. The story of a dog growing up, learning, exploring, adventuring, and growing old is one worth telling. It's a positive story that is relatable to many. It's a story that will unfold in real-time over many years. We all have a pretty good idea of what the ending will be, but its what happens in the middle that matters the most. Thanks for coming along for the ride. We're just getting started.

Day 30: Shelly got a big package in the mail today and Nico thought it was the coolest thing ever. He jumped right up on top to check it out. He's been developing springs in his legs over the last few days. Earlier today, from a standing position he jumped onto the couch, on top of me, and then continued up to the back of the couch to lay down across the top. We have a rule in our house that dogs don't get on furniture unless they are invited. Nico hasn't entirely figured that out yet and at times has a hard time containing his new abilities. We give him a little leeway, but not too much.

Day 31: Nico: I think I smell my big brother on this stump. Me: Yeah, bud, I bet you do. He peed on that stump a couple hundred times over the past few years. Khyber had been gone for about 7 months before Nico came into our lives. Nico inherited a bunch of things from Khyber: beds, blankets, toys, bowls. I'm sure he smells him in the house and I often wonder how much his scent can be detected in our yard and woods behind our house. I brought Nico to a section of the woods behind our house that Khyber and I walked a few hours before we said goodbye. The very last picture I have of Khyber was taken next to this old rotten stump. Nico spent a considerable amount of time sniffing it today.

Day 32: Nico is slowly starting to learn how to play fetch. He's good for 5-10 short throws before his attention span wears out. We've also been practicing spending time outside off-leash. Last night Shelly and I did an intense ricochet recall drill with him, calling him back-and-forth between us across the yard. My number one wish is that he can be an off-leash dog. Khyber was great off-leash, he could hang out in the yard with us for hours without wandering anywhere. My number two wish is he gets along with other dogs, something Khyber wasn't always great at. My approach to off-leash is to make sure being off-leash isn't more exciting than being on-leash, and not giving up because he goes wandering off into the woods or chasing a bird down the road. And never use a recall when scolding, punishing, or doing anything he doesn't want to do. "Come" always has to be the most exciting and rewarding thing possible. Finally, no chasing to get him back. If he doesn't respond to the recall I slowly close the gap with him and only bend down to pick him up when it's clear he isn't going to back up or run away. Patience, trust, and positive energy are most important, that goes both ways.

Day 33: Nico had an intense play session with Chester and Kismet this evening. The tables are starting to turn on the big dogs. Nico is about twice the size as when we got him and he has enough attitude and spunk to double it again. Although, he's smart enough to realize he can use me as a shield. He ended up chasing Chester more than once, which is a new development. Nico likes to play rough, the key over the next few months will be making sure he knows when that is and is not appropriate.

Day 34: Nico went on his first canoe outing today. He isn't a big fan of the lifejacket, it was like wrestling an alligator trying to get it on him. It barely fits him at this point so I am hoping if we upsize putting it over his head won't be uncomfortable for him. We both stayed in the boat the entire time so I consider this a success. Once in the canoe he was mostly ok with the whole situation and liked checking out the water as it went by. Khyber would follow me anywhere, which made introducing him to new experiences really easy. If I got in a canoe he wanted in right away. Nico, on the other hand, isn't bonded to us as strong and is more independent. Some of that might develop with time, and if not, that is ok. After the canoe trip, Nico met a new dog friend, Noodles. The two played really hard and I expect to have a barely conscious puppy for the rest of the evening.

Day 35: Another school day for Nico. Seth, Nico, and I paddled a 3.6-mile loop from Follensby Clear Pond through Fish Creek Ponds and back. Nico didn't get to say hi to Seth on land and when he realized he was next to us in a boat I was almost certain he was going overboard. Thankfully, he calmed down after a few minutes. We flushed two mallards on a narrow stream and he didn't launch out of the boat. About 45 minutes in he started laying down, indicating he was comfortable and calm. He also did well on the one carry we had. On the last bit of water, he curled up between my legs and did his best to take a short nap. He spent 2 hours in the boat with few complaints. Overall, he passed the canoe test with flying colors. This was a big relief because it means he can get in some outdoor adventure time before he's big enough for longer hikes.

Day 36: Nico and I took a short walk in the woods behind our house this afternoon. While off-leash is something we are working on with him right now, we are also working on leash walking. Khyber had to learn how to be an exceptional on-leash hiker because he would pack-in with me to Johns Brook Lodge. My pack weighed anywhere from 70-95lbs and dogs must be leashed on the trail we hiked in on. I couldn't be dealing with holding onto a leash or fighting with a pulling dog while carrying all that weight. I trained Khyber to walk directly behind me and attached the leash to the back of my pack. This required a lot of trust in him because if he pulled just a little bit he would topple me over. This approach carried over to off-leash walking as well. Most of the time he was free to explore, but if I wanted him to he would walk right behind me without a leash. When I lived in Kingston, ON we would practice this on the sidewalk walking around our neighborhood. I would keep the leash on him but let it drag. The goal is for Nico to be just as good both on and off-leash.

Day 37: Nico and I went for a stand-up paddleboard outing on Lower Saranac Lake this evening. About 5 minutes in he took an impromptu swim off the front of the board. We were moving at a decent clip at the time so I snatched him out of the water as he floated past. I set him on the board in front of me and kept going. I try not to console a dog when they are in a fearful state of mind. It would be tempting to say, "oh, it's ok, buddy." But this has the potential to reinforce the moment of fear he had when he fell in the water. Instead, being calm and confident will let them know there is nothing to be worried about. Dogs are exceptional at reading energy and will pick up on your response to a situation. Within a minute Nico was back walking around the board checking things out.

Day 38: Nico learned to swim this evening. It was clear he wasn't going to take the leap himself, so we helped him along. I walked into waist-deep water with him and set him down. He did a hurried doggie paddle back to shore. After a few more rounds of that, he was swimming back much more calmly. Eventually, he started walking into the water up to his chest, something he hadn't done before. Friends of ours almost got him to swim on his own, but we haven't quite gotten there yet. At least now if he falls off the paddleboard or out of a boat we know he won't completely freak out. Big steps for a 13-week old puppy.

Day 39: We've been working on teaching Nico to catch. We have had moderate success with treats, but toys remain a challenge. It looks like he is poised to catch this tennis ball, his eyes are locked on it, and it's headed right at his mouth. That's not the case though, it just bounced off his face, haha. He'll get there.

Day 40: Shelly, Nico, and I boated out to a campsite to cook dinner over a fire. Nico enjoyed chewing on pine cones and sticks as we gathered wood, built the fire, and cooked. After dinner Shelly fished while I photographed Lower Saranac Lake with a drone. We boated back under the very last rays of light with the stars just starting to come out. Nico was passed out from the evening adventure. The consensus is he has graduated to being a boat dog.

Day 41: Nico walked with us to the farmer's market this morning, 0.75-mile round-trip, the farthest he's gone so far. On our way home he met Wilson, our neighbor's dog. We really want him to be good friends with all the neighborhood dogs, of which there are 4 in close proximity. The afternoon we spent on the boat. He played with his BFF Chloe and is learning how to settle in while we pull people water skiing. I'm fairly certain he and I will be sleeping in a little later than normal tomorrow morning.

Day 42: It was a quiet day for Nico. Besides a few short walks and meeting a new human friend, we just hung around the house. A few days ago we outfitted his new collar with a rivet on dog tag from Lucky Pets (see link below). I hate jingling tags and was looking for something that would be quiet and securely attached. The quality is great and they are able to fit a lot of info on the tag.

Day 43: We are learning that Nico requires a lot of exercise and stimulation to stay sane. Today was the second lazy day in a row and he was being a total PITA the latter half of the day. He tries to engage play with us the way he would with a dog, by jumping at us and nipping. While cute at first, this is behavior that is not acceptable. Today he got his dinner in a Buster Cube, a 3D puzzle that requires being pushed around to get the food out. It's a great way to get some energy out and exercise their mind. This is yet another toy inherited from Khyber.

Day 44: Nico has been making friends with a lot of neighborhood dogs. It is getting to the point where he refuses to proceed when we walk by their houses. He just stares at the house looking for or anticipating his dog friend appearing. Our hope is he will be the social butterfly of the neighborhood. We've decided to get him on a regular walking routine to work on leash manners but also keep him physically and mentally stimulated.

Day 45: This is the “come on already, Dad” look. Nico isn’t trained well enough or predictable enough for me to get photos of him the way I could with Khyber. Khyber would always be off leash in the woods behind our house and I could get great action shots as he zoomed back and forth by me. Nico will get there in time.

Day 46: I’ve been packing all morning for a trip to our family camp to do work with my uncle for two days. Nico and Shelly are staying home. Nico has been keeping an eye on all of my movements, including supervising me pulling equipment out of the shed. Soon enough he’ll learn that all of this typically means he is about to go on a big adventure.

Day 47: Brendan is out of town and I have been left responsible for both Nico and the daily photo. This is the first time one of us has left Nico for more than a couple hours since he’s joined us and it is clear he is struggling with the adjustment. While there was no doubt Nico missed Brendan during their usual morning walk together, he settled in during the afternoon and found comfort in his toys and other “normal” routines. -Shelly

Day 48: Brendan’s trip took a little longer than expected which gave Nico and I another full day together. I often spend nice weekends working in the yard and gardening and today Nico got right in the action. I managed to prune some shrubs and clean up the brush while Nico took care of trimming my flowers, digging a new garden plot in the yard, and shredding every twig he could find so I wouldn’t have to pick them up. It was quite a productive day! -Shelly

Day 49

Day 50: Today I worked with Nico on off-leash walking. One aspect we focused on was following. Even though off-leash gives Nico quite a bit of freedom, there are times he needs to come back and simply follow behind me. We also practiced his recall, which he aced 100% of the time. Toward the end of our walk the skies opened up, giving Nico his first experience of walking in the rain. He got a little extra pep in step and clearly knew the way back home. He could have taken off for the house but he didn't, he waited for his slow Dad.

Day 51: Our little supermutt was playing superman this evening. I have a very similar photo of Khyber on Bonus Day 2. There is nothing I love more than seeing a dog flying through the woods. Nico came really close to walking out the door without a leash on, down our road, into the woods, back down the road, and into the house. He nailed his recall on the first try every time until we were just about to get back to the road. It took three calls for him to return. He wasn't running, just standing looking at me, seemingly saying, "but Dad you are 50 feet away and I know the house is in this direction, why do you want me to come back to you?" Walking, whether on-leash or off, is a great way to bond with a dog.

Day 52: Shelly joined Nico and I on our off-leash walking exercise this afternoon. He spent about half of the time walking calmly between the two of us, but making sure to turn to check on Shelly regularly. This is exactly how Khyber was. Toward the end he got a little zooming in. If you want to see less polished, behind-the-scenes, content check out the subscription option below.

Day 53: We did a weigh-in for Nico this morning. He is 26.6 lbs, just over 2.5-times the size he was when we got him. With regular walks, training time, and playtime in the yard he has calmed down quite a bit over the past week. The little dude has tons of energy and we're doing everything we can to focus it into positive outlets.

Day 54: Nico met Cousin Lucy and Aunt Luna today. It was an exhausting day of car rides and lots of dog socialization. We expect he'll be sleeping in late tomorrow morning.

Day 55: Nico has been exhausted most of the day. He played hard with Cousin Lucy and Aunt Luna yesterday for longer than we should have let him. We went for an afternoon boat ride and dunked him in the lake to cool off. Swimming still isn't his favorite but we're keeping up with it. It's nice having a worn out puppy in the house.

Day 56: We've had a large pine widow maker hung up in another tree along the edge of our yard for a few years. It was hanging over an old, but no longer used, set of power lines. A few weeks ago the power company removed the lines for us and we contemplated how to safely remove the tree. I have chainsaw experience and Game of Logging certification, but this was a particularly tricky situation. My concern was the tree would fall on Nico, Shelly, or I. Yesterday I decided to put a rope around it and pull it over with my truck. Nico sat in the cab with me to supervise. He's been helping with the clean up as well. 🙂

Day 57: With Shelly back to work at her office this week, Nico is forced to tag along on my work adventures. Today was his first time joining me on a day of stream sampling. We drive 158 miles around the Ausable River watershed to 30 sites to collect water quality data. At most of the sites, he stays in the truck while I get out to do the sampling. He howled and howled every time I got out of the truck for the first half of the day. And then he practically blocked me from getting back in because he would be anxiously awaiting for me to open the door. After a dozen or so times of this, he started learning "back," which is to get in the back of the truck where his bed is. By the end of the day, the howling was much less and when I approached the truck he would either jump into the back on his own or respond to the command. There are a few spots I let him out to pee, the same spots Khyber would get out during the many years he joined me on this routine. Nico will get the hang of it eventually. If you want to support these daily Nico photos and my conservation photography work join my community of supporters below.

Day 58: A week ago Shelly and I purchased Ruffwear Treat Trader's (https://amzn.to/3fkDIUY) so that we always have treats on hand to reward Nico for good behavior and redirect from bad behavior. We put them on when we get up in the morning and leave them on until we go to bed. They have helped immensely with Nico's training. Now we are able to consistently and instantly reward for desired behavior. They also have a small pouch for poop bags. I'm a big fan of Ruffwear products. I still have harnesses, life jackets, collars, and leashes from Khyber that stood years of use and abuse in all kinds of harsh conditions.

Day 59: Nico zooming down the trails with a piece of birch bark in his mouth. We are still working on the seven principles of Leave No Trace. Thankfully, Nico has been getting good at the "leave it" command and eventually put the bark down. It's just Nico and I working from home now and he's been surprisingly good (knock on wood). Today he spent almost the entire day hanging out by himself in the living room. We have a Wyze webcam (https://amzn.to/3iJgmLa) on his crate which covers half of our living room so I can watch him while in my office area upstairs. The cameras are really inexpensive and have good quality video, motion detection, etc.

Day 60: Today was a scorcher for us mountain folks. We've spent almost the entire day inside. Nico enjoyed a few ice cubes on the lawn this afternoon. He's learned the sound of the ice cube dispenser and comes running.

Day 61: Today was a scorcher for us mountain folks. We've spent almost the entire day inside. Nico enjoyed a few ice cubes on the lawn this afternoon. He's learned the sound of the ice cube dispenser and comes running.

Day 62: Nico is slowly becoming more comfortable with the water. He can swim, but doesn't like to do it on his own. Apparently submerging his entire face is ok though. Haha.

Day 63: Shelly has been working with Nico on fetch. He's pretty good about getting the ball and running back with it. Sometimes he decided to take a few victory laps before giving it back up for another throw. I can't say I blame him, but we're working on improving his retrieving skills.

Day 64: Puppy minds often exceed the capabilities of puppy bodies. Nico is getting pretty good with coordination and judgment, but he had a hilarious wipeout today. We were walking in the woods behind our house and he spent almost the entire time zooming around. He's starting to learn to jump over downed logs and negotiate obstacles when running through the woods. In one instance he went to make a hard 90-degree turn and it was like a motorcycle skidding out. All four legs lost grip in the mud and he slid sideways but quickly regained his footing and continued on. I saw something on his face and thought he might have hurt himself. Nope, it was just slobber that flung upon his face as he was sliding across the ground.

Day 65: Shelly, Nico, and I headed out to Lower Saranac Lake this evening to look for Comet Neowise. Unfortunately low clouds on the horizon obstructed our view. This was Nico's first time walking any distance in the dark and being exposed to hordes of mosquitos. He wasn't sure what to think of the shadows cast by our flashlights on the way back to the truck, but he eventually sorted it all out.

Day 66: I love all the little patterns Nico has on his body. His paws and toe nails are spotted with black, he even has a little bit of pink inside one of his nostrils. When we first got him the pads on his paws were soft and velvety. His daily walks and adventures are starting to toughen them up. We regularly run our fingers between his toes and manipulate his feet so he remains comfortable with getting inspected by us or our vet.

Day 67: Nico is on neighborhood watch. He has taken to sitting on the stairs and looking out this window. One of his good neighbor dog friends lives across the street and he can catch glimpses of him from this vantage point. He also likes to listen and talk to everyone in the neighborhood.

Day 68: We have a rule in our house that dogs aren't allowed on the nice furniture. We had a "dog couch" for Khyber, but got rid of it after he passed away. Nico is getting pretty good at pushing the limits of this rule. He is supposed to only be allowed on the couch when invited and then only on a blanket. He's getting good at sneaking on when not invited and pushing the boundaries of the blanket rule as well.

Day 69: Nico is getting the hang of being a boat dog. We're still working on the whole voluntary swimming thing. He gets dunked occasionally to cool off. Not swimming means the occasional pee accident on the boat. Today was the first time that has happened in a few weeks. He gets a pass on that until he is comfortable with a quick swim to shore.

Day 70: It was just a handful of weeks ago that Nico was seeking protection between my legs while playing with the big dogs. Not any more, he is running and roughhousing all on his own. Sometime during this particular play session he lost one of his canine teeth. This is the first big tooth he has lost. He had a smaller one come out earlier this week that we found on the living room floor.

Day 71: 100% grade A goof-ball. Somehow Nico temporarily warped Earth's gravitation field to his left. This is the treat check-in face. Nico has picked up on the fact that when he is off-leash and comes when called he will always get a treat. That has morphed into him coming not when called and touching my hand with his nose in search of a treat. I always want to be the most exciting thing around so I reward him ~50% of the time for coming back when not called. This is the, "I'm here, I'm cute, and I know you have freeze-dried chicken hearts in your magic treat pouch" look.

Day 72: Sometimes taking a moment to feel the sunshine on your face is enough to recenter yourself.

Day 73: Nico had his first off-leash slip-up today. A pair of mountain bikers were too enticing not to chase after down the trail. These situations can be scary, but I never expected Nico to be perfect. I found him a few minutes later down the trail hanging with a group of dogs we met earlier. Khyber had a few setbacks when he was young as well. We’ll keep working on trust with Nico, a little slip-up isn’t going to stop us. If he doesn’t stay on point in the long run he’ll lose his off-leash privileges.

Day 74: Nico patiently waiting for Shelly to take him for his evening walk. With such a high energy puppy walks are important to maintaining peace and sanity in our house. We shoot for three walks a day, one before each meal.

Day 75: Nico had a few memorial water experiences this evening. With a little push from behind he swam off the swim deck on our boat and a short distance to shore. Another little push got him from shore back to the boat. This was a big milestone for Nico. He wasn't completely comfortable with the whole situation but he did fine. To top it all off he fell off the dock at the marina as were tying up the boat. The docks are high and long. That resulted in me jumping in after him and swimming to shore with him. For a moment I thought he might have been traumatized by the dock experience. As soon as he got out of the water he went zooming back down the dock to greet Shelly. He's no worse for wear and all tuckered out.

Day 76: Oops... I forgot to post this photo last night. Day 76 for Nico, Shelly, and I. Another afternoon on the boat. Nico didn't do any swimming, nor did he fall off the dock.

Day 77: Don't let this cute face fool you, Nico is still going through his puppy terror phase. His biggest challenge right now is distinguishing what is appropriate play with people vs dogs. He has dog play down very well. He knows when to back off and when he can get rough. People on the other hand is a little hit and miss. He knows not to nip me, but is still learning that nipping at Shelly is not allowed. This is purely a "hey, come play with me" behavior, but can be challenging at times to correct. He also has the tendency to revert to a perfect angel as soon as I walk in the room. He sits and looks at me as if to say, "what, I wasn't doing anything wrong, Shelly is lying to you."

Day 78: Nico had a blast walking in the Saranac River this afternoon. It's the most fun I've seen him have in water. He enjoyed bitting at the moving water, jumping around, and slapping the water with his feet. He also seemed relaxed just standing in the current. I'm sure it felt wonderful with this heat.

Day 79: We are riding the rollercoaster of puppyhood. Nico is entering a new phase of being a little terror. Most of the day he is a perfect angel. He hangs out downstairs by himself while I work upstairs and has yet to destroy anything in our house. Occasionally he decides to be an utter pain in the butt, nipping, jumping, and talking back. If the usual tricks of distraction and redirection don't work and he keeps escalating he spends a few minutes of timeout in his crate. This gives him a chance to cool down and in most cases he ends up taking a long nap. We have worked hard to make sure the crate isn't a punishment. His timeout's aren't meant to be, they simply provide time for the little neurons in his brain to reset.

Day 80: Nico's left eye has a white haw and might also be a little lazy at times. Ever since we got him I've been trying to figure out what is going on with his eyes. A few weeks in he was comfortable enough with me pulling down his eye lids that I was able to confirm that one haw was white. If you notice an asymmetry in his eyes, this is the primary reason. At times it appears as though he also has a lazy eye. Regardless of his asymmetrical eyes his little face is adorable.

Day 81: Nico has developed into a stuffed toy destroyer. He doesn't destuff, at least not yet, rather he focuses on gnawing off body parts. The irony is, most of these toys lasted years in Khyber's care. I'm sure Khyber wouldn't be upset though, he was excellent at sharing his toys. If he were here I'm sure he would just sit and watch Nico destroy all his toys.

Day 82: Operation Exhaust Nico. Shelly and I have been very busy with work lately and because of that Nico hasn't been getting as much exercise. For our lunch time walk I decided to hike to the summit of Dewey Mountain from our backyard. This is the longest walk/hike Nico has done. I made sure to go straight up in hopes of wearing him out and we ran together half-way back down. Of course as soon as we got back he zoomed around the house like a crazy man. He has been a little more calm this evening, so perhaps Operation Exhaust Nico was a partial success.

Day 83: The day we rescued Nico we brought him over to see our family camp on Duck Blind Island from the mainland. 83 days later we have returned to introduce him to island/camp life. This place is our sanctuary and over the years Khyber rose to prominence as the top dog to ever walk the shores of the island. When he was diagnosed with cancer I decided to take an extra week off work so he could spend a full two weeks out here and we could soak in as much one on one with him as possible. This is also where John Gray Writer came to visit us to shoot the video about Khyber's bonus days (pinned to the top of my page). Khyber and I developed a routine of an early morning paddleboard outing with a cup of coffee. It was a great way for him to be able to just lay on the board and take in all the smells, sights, and sounds. I took Nico out this afternoon to refresh his paddleboard skills. Tomorrow morning we'll see if he can be chill enough on the board not to spill my coffee!

Day 84: Nico is living up the island life. We were afraid he would be all over the place and we would need to keep a constant eye on him. Other than wanting to lick the rocks underneath the grill because of spilled grease, he has been great. He and I ran laps around the island this afternoon to get some exercise. The shore is a jumble of rocks in most places, making it challenging for both dog and human to run. Toward the end Nico started taking short cuts, cutting across the yard and other areas to meet up with me. Oh and isn't his little crooked ear cute? It's on the same side of his face as his white haw.

Day 85: Nico passed the paddle board test this morning. The bit of coffee spillage seen on the side of my mug is from walking down the dock and Nico walking in front of me, tripping me, and nearly falling off the dock. As far the paddle board goes, he got on all on his own and did a good job hanging out for a 45 minute morning paddle. We aren't sure if it is camp life but he has really chilled out the past two days. We're hoping it carries over back to normal life.

Day 86: With Tropical Storm Isiasis rolling through Lake Champlain today we have been spending the entire day inside. Nico has been loving the ability to lay on the couch at will, a liberty he does not enjoy at home. This afternoon he decided to tell me how thankful he is for Khyber's blanket and that it isn't for humans, therefore I have to get permission to sit on the couch with him.

Day 87: It's hard for me to get photos of Nico sitting or standing still. As soon as I get low to take a photo of him at his level (one of my top tips for good dog photos) he runs toward me. I've been using a 500mm lens while at camp to photograph birds. This also allows me to sneak shots of Nico from quite a ways away without him noticing me. This morning he was sitting among the tall grasses a few feet away from Shelly as she was looking at birds through a spotting scope. He is slowly starting to figure out our routines and how to just hang while we are doing outdoor activities.

Day 88: Nico had a big day today. It started out with an adventure to the other side of the pond (Lake Champlain) to meet up with friends to look for bugs in a stream. Then this evening we took him out in the boat to go fishing. It didn't take him long to learn to settle down. It's a life lesson he is going to have to master in our family, the you go everywhere with us so you better learn to chill lesson. The evening was topped off with a comical scene between he and I. As I was photographing the sunset I noticed him chomping down on some aquatic vegetation washed up on shore. I told him, "no, leave it." He gave me the side eye as if to say, "ha, yeah right, not this time buddy. I know you have a magic treat pouch and your hand is going into it, but this is better than anything you have in there." So then the chase began. Once I caught him I pulled the vegetation out of his mouth, expecting that was all that was in there. Instead, it was a like a magic trick, it just kept coming out and at the end was a mass of organic matter that was unrecognizable. Doing the only sensible thing a curious person would do I went in for a closer inspection and a sniff. Oh boy, it was the most horrendous thing I have ever experienced. And as a Ph.D. biologist, I've experienced all kinds of nasty stuff. My best guess is this was a munched up frog carcass. The smell bent me over. Shelly and I had a good laugh afterwards and Nico spent a little time in his crate to cool down.

Day 89: Nico and I went on a 2-hour paddleboard adventure today. We went as far up the marsh at the outlet of Kimball and Thorp Brooks as possible. He spent the first 2/3rds of the trip taking in the experience and the last 1/3 sleeping. For only being 5 months old he is turning into a great dog. Time will tell if he stays this way as he ages and if he can pass other tests of being an everyday adventure dog and companion.

Day 90: Nico says, "but Dad, the island is back over there, why are we leaving?" Today was the last day at our family camp. Nico did amazing all week long, we are very proud of him. When we arrived home he had three of his baby canine teeth fall out. All of those beautiful teeth he is showing in the photo are adult teeth. He's starting to mature into an adult dog.

Day 91: Nico was like a kid coming back from vacation with their parents that can't wait to see their friends. He played with our neighbor's dog, Wilson, this morning and then had a good play session with Chester and Kismet this afternoon. If we can keep up the socialization for the next several months he should be excellent with other dogs his whole life.

Day 92: Mary Caruso, one of the wonderful people that follows along with Nico's journey, sent him this beautiful fleece blanket a little while back. We held off on letting him lay on it because he was in a blanket shredding phase. Now that he has only a couple of baby teeth left the chewing is subsiding. This is now his couch blanket, we are working on training him that he is allowed on this, but not the bare couch. He loves the blanket and occasionally starts to chew on the tassels at the edges but so far it has survived. 🙂 Thanks Mary!

Day 93: I had a long day in the field today, leaving Shelly to rescue Nico from his crate mid-day. She gave him a satisfactory grade for his behavior while at the office with her. She also said he exceeded her expectations, which means she rightfully had low expectations. This was Nico’s first time being in a work environment. We hope it won’t be his last.

Day 94: This photo sums up Nico's attitude today. He's been a little monster. On our evening walk he pushed my patience to the absolute limit. Shelly and I have been overloaded with work this week resulting in Nico not getting enough exercise and outdoor time. All of his pent up energy is coming out and none of us are having fun right now. We just need to get through this week and we'll be able to refocus our attention on making sure Nico's needs are met.

Day 95: I took Nico for a run this evening. I haven't run in over a year. My intent was to wear him out, but I think all I did was wear myself out. I fully intend to absolutely exhaust him this weekend so Shelly and I can enjoy a bit of tranquility in our own house. He is entering the defiant phase of puppyhood.

Day 96: The photos the last few days are all very similar because Shelly and I have been flat out busy and Nico is getting good at posing for me. These are the quick, "oh crap, I need a photo," shots taken in the warm light of the setting sun. This afternoon Shelly, Nico, and I took a trip across the pond to Vermont to pick up a motorcycle. Nico was a quick hit with everyone in the dealership, which of course is not a surprise.

Day 97: This is the post Donnelly's Ice Cream look of disappointment. We took Nico along with us to get ice cream this evening, but he didn't get any. We aren't believers of dogs getting human food. He had a sensory overload with being in close proximity to, but not within contact of dozens of other people. If you are ever in the Saranac Lake, Lake Placid, Tupper Lake area it is well worth it to make a side trip to Donnelly's. Homemade soft-serve ice cream, only one flavor on tap each day. It's the best thing you'll get on a cone for hundreds of miles around.

Day 98: Nico and I were doing a little motorcycle maintenance in the driveway this evening. He wasn't at all startled or upset about the sound of the bike, which is a good thing. Midway through he spotted his friend Wilson across the street and started to skirt his duties in supervising my work, instead protesting not being able to play with Wilson. When we finished we got in a play session. Nico lost another tooth in the process, leaving Wilson covered in blood. We constantly check in with our neighbors to make sure they are ok with Wilson and Nico playing. They always say yes, but when their dog comes back covered in blood I wonder if they are being honest with us. Haha.

Day 99: One of the challenges we've been working with Nico is his fixation on moving objects. He wants to run after cars, bicycles, squirrels, birds, etc. He is slowly starting to calm down with cars driving by, but they do result in an overall heightened energy level that makes it challenging for him to focus on walking without pulling, listening to commands, etc. We're trying all of the tricks to break his focus and redirect him. In the mornings when the neighborhood is quiet he can walk for a half hour with hardly having the leash come taunt. I know he has it in him, we just need to focus that little brain.

Day 100: When we first brought Nico home he was mostly confined to our living room and kitchen. Upstairs was accessible with supervision and our front entry way, which is full of shoes and other stuff temping to get into trouble with, was off limits. Nico has slowly been gaining full house privileges. He is allowed upstairs whenever he wants, but most room doors are closed. If not, he would be on our bed tearing apart our comforter while we are sitting downstairs on the couch. More recently, he has gained access to our entryway and Shelly's office space. This area is full of shoes, plants, misc. stuff that came home from offices during the pandemic, and Shelly's desk space. He's pretty good about leaving all of these items alone. We put a bed next to Shelly so he can sit with her while she works. Sometimes I find him laying there in the middle of the day while she is still at the office.

A Photo A Day For Life: Day 1 - 100

Want to help support this photos series? Make a donation below.