We have a new addition in my family.

We now have a puppy.

His name is Wesley. He is four months old. He was terribly nervous and scared when we first got him.

Wesley was especially exciting for me because I have wanted a dog my entire life. I have had some less-than-decent experiences with dogs in the past. The first time we tried to get a dog, we got a golden retriever puppy named Buddy. He was so crazy that I could not control him, and we were unable to train him. We decided that neither us nor Buddy would be happy with each other, so we gave him away to a family in Atlanta.

A few years later, we tried again. We got a mixed breed female puppy from a farm in Greensboro. We named her Fuzzy. Unfortunately, a big problem arose.

I learned I was allergic to dogs. If I held her or touched her, I would break out in hives. We gave her back.

After two failed attempts at getting a dog, I was devastated. We toyed around with the thought of a hypoallergenic dog for years, but never went for it. Several months ago, my next door neighbors got a puppy, Marley.

She is a Maltese-Yorkie mix. Since both those breeds are hypoallergenic, Marley is, too. I tested out whether I would have a reaction multiple times, and came out hive-free each time I played with her. My mom got the name of Marley’s breeder, who lived in Byron, and we contacted her. She had one boy Maltese puppy left. We managed to get him despite three other people wanting him.

We met the lady on Russell Parkway in Warner Robins and got Wesley. He is white, with long hair, and very small. Originally I thought of naming him Winston, but when I was with him I just knew that name didn’t suit him. I tossed around a few names such as Bentley, Bo, Quinn, and Chester, but I realized that Wesley fitted him the best.

That first night, and most of the next day, Wesley was very shy. He was so scared he wouldn’t even stand up and walk around. We took him outside in the leaves, and he completely forgot his shyness. He made us tired from playing with him so much. Over the next few days, Wesley continued to come out of his shell and adjust to his new home.

He was doing great, except for one problem. Wesley would not eat. I found myself force-feeding him small bits of food. It was the last part of his adjustment to a new family. Day by day, he has gotten better, and I have been trying different tactics to get him to eat.

Wesley has definitely not been all fun and games. We are trying to house train and crate train him. He would cry at night and keep us up. He wanted to chew on absolutely everything, including my hand. A lot more work has been put on us because of him.

Even with all the work and challenges Wesley has brought upon us, I wouldn’t give up having a puppy for anything. The good times have outweighed the bad by far, and I am so glad that Wesley is a part of our family.

Neely Shah is a freshman and a staff writer for the Gazebo.