In case you think we’re just all about work at USPA, some of our staff takes time out for a nap now and then. Pictured on the left is the newest addition to our office work force. That would be London dozing in the corner. Today was his first day on the job and it truly exhausted him.

London’s “parents” are Abby and Jay. They wanted their German Shepherd puppy so badly that they actually moved to be able to include him in their lives. They’ve been anxiously waiting for him now for two months. The very weekend he turned 8 weeks and could leave his birth mother they hopped in the car and drove more than 900 miles to pick him up. That meant they got to bond with him for a solid eight hours while they drove home. I’m sure we’re going to have a number of funny London stories to tell but I already have my favorite. The very first thing he did when he arrived in his new home was to bound into the full length glass mirror thinking he’d found his litter mates!

Abby and Jay are planning on raising London to be a service dog. They would like to train him to be either a “search and rescue” or “therapy” dog. So under the guise of making sure he’s properly socialized, and partly because I don’t think any puppy should be left home alone, I suggested we make him our office mascot. If he can replicate today…and they can train him well, he’s a welcome addition. He’s apt to get a little spoiled around here though. Somehow everyone found time in their busy day to play with him at least once.

We all love dogs and many of us have dogs that occasionally come into the office to visit. Everyone’s good about not letting them distract us but they do bring us back to reality from time to time. The gorgeous guy on the right is Rags. He usually accompanies me to the office on nights and weekends. Next to my human family he’s the love of my life. Now if we could only teach all our dogs to sing and dance…or answer the phones we’d really be in business!