The Puppy Stage

Nostalgia is a funny thing, especially when it comes to photography and how it can evoke such personal and intimate memories. I frequently find myself staring at old photographs of Nova. Her puppy stage was something else (she was and is slightly still a MAJOR brat). Looking at her puppy photos remind me of how adorable she was, but also reminds me of how hard it was to raise her and do right by her. I find that looking at photographs tend to remind me of the positive memories associated with the image as people don't tend to want to capture memories that are negative and painful. Though true, I don't like to ignore Nova's past. She was not weaned properly, spayed too young and abused before I even got her. Because of that she came with behaviors we had to work through and adapt to: destruction tendencies, separation anxiety, and clinginess were all everyday occurrences that made her first 3 months, especially on a college campus very very hard. I felt super alone and like I was failing every time Nova had a breakdown. Her puppy pictures though are a great reminder of how far we have come though. Training everyday, running her energy so she's tired and following every positive reinforcement training protocol possible to remind her that her abusive past would never be an issue for as long as I had her. Her photographs and photos alike present a nostalgia that many cannot and social media seems to be an outlet for those who want those positive, but also negative reminders. Follow @novatheblackpittie for more!