Our new puppy Zinnia opened her eyes today for the first time, the ever-diligent Lenore Severni of Stonewall Farms Labradors, our breeder, was there to record it.

Like all good breeders, I see from the video that Lenore is gently beginning the socializing of Zinnia, softly stroking her nose and getting her used to a human voice.

The socialization of puppies, especially puppies earmarked for therapy work, begins right away and continues through the early life of the dog. I love the way this dog looks – her body, her coat, her calm and reflective demeanor.

I feel that this is the dog for me, the dog I imagined, the dog I want.

I’ve now arranged for four Socializing Pods, I call them.

The Mansion, Caroll’s Trading Post, Bishop Maginn High School, and Cambridge Dental. All four have agreed to take Zinnia for short periods to help socialize her and acclimate her to different environments.

I’ve told the dog lovers at each place that I want them to touch Zinnia gently, let other people meet her and hold her and talk to her. I control the treats. For dog lovers, this is Nirvana. I want her to form her worldview of humans as being good things, friends.

I will be doing my own socializing, of course, taking Zinnia into different environments – farm, urban, rural, traffic, train noise, elder care.

Well-bred Labradors are drawn to working with people and staying close to them. I want to build on that.

I want her to be exposed to many different environments and to get used to being touched by other people, as happens in any kind of serious therapy work.

Breeding is a huge part of finding a good therapy dog, so is socialization and training.

For the first five or seeks weeks (and after her shots), I’ll take her wherever I’m allowed and few places turn away Lab puppies. Lenore will get all of the breaks Bud never got until recently.

I want her to get a loving and thoughtful entry into the world. Bud is getting that now, and thriving on it.

He got his first kill today, a mole he pounced on in the back yard, he seemed shocked and walked away.

Bud is a chaser, not a killer.

The dog has to be calm,  observant, and nearly unflappable. I’m not sure Zinnia is seeing much yet, but as her eyes and ears open up, she will begin to explore her world. Lenore will see that she is socialized and stimulated, and me and Maria and the farm the Socializing Pods will pick it up from there.

(Sue Silverstein, who calls Zinnia “my dog,” will chew on her towel when she sees this video.)

Zinnia is two weeks old. We can see here in three more weeks, take her home three weeks after that, sometime around Thanksgiving. Come and see her take her first look at the world.