After lots of talk, my wife Katie and I have finally gotten a dog!

We've had awful puppy fever for months, but -- when we got serious and honest with ourselves -- a puppy just wasn't going to fit into our lifestyle well. Long story short, we found ourselves at the Animal Humane Society last week to look at one dog but ended up falling in love with another instead. Three days later, Katie and I were first time pet parents and owners of a 2-year old retriever-mix named Rosie!

Well, we've just come off our first weekend together, and -- naturally -- we've all learned a few things. Here are some of the things I've learned within the first 48 hours as a dog dad:

If you're not into accidents, two years old is a perfect age to start with. As cute as puppies are, I'm so glad Rosie's already trained to go to the bathroom outside. So far, we're accident-free!
That said, dog poop reeks. Like, bad.
Either Rosie's really smart or we got a crappy dog kennel; she's escaped twice.
Speaking of kennels, Rosie hates hers and would rather be anywhere but in it.
Min-Chex doesn't work on Rosie. The bottle of "Emotional Balance Support Supplement" she managed to open after escaping from her kennel did nothing to calm her down!
Furthermore, Rosie can detect the pills she's supposed to eat and then will refuse to.
To her credit, Rosie is smart and learning quickly. I'm a very Type A person; I thrive on discipline and order. Naturally, that reflects in my parenting style. We've already established commands like "sit," "stay," "lie down," "no," and "ok." One of my personal victories so far: I told Rosie to stay in the living room, moved to the bedroom, and waited before calling for her. She sat, waited and came on command!
Rosie may hate her kennel, but she loves her leash! She knows her leash means she's going outside or on an adventure.
Rosie also loves her collar for reasons I don't understand. If I take it off her, she gets excited and smells it and seems to want it back on.
She also doesn't seem to mind her cone, which she has to wear when we're not at home and until her spay incisions heal up.
Rosie likes car rides. She was pretty nervous the first couple but has grown more comfortable in the car and seems to travel well.
Rosie loved the vet! Well, I don't know about the whole experience...she had to get stapled up again after her spay stitches came un-done...but she really liked Dr. Nelson and the rest of the people there.
Rosie also likes breweries! In our free time, Katie and I are beer bloggers and spend a fair amount of time at and in craft breweries. We'd hoped that Rosie would fit in well, and -- at least after Saturday's visit to Haye's Public House in Buffalo -- it seems she'll do just fine!
In the span of 48 hours, Rosie has brought out the extremes of emotions in me -- the greatest of frustration and the greatest of love.
Speaking of love, Rosie is full of it. She can't get enough, and she loves to give it. Just last night, the three of us had a cuddle-fest, and my wife and I got lots of kisses to the neck and face...
...which then led to rashes on our necks and faces. Turns out, we're both allergic to Rosie (seems like her saliva more than anything).
Rosie prefers wet dog food over dry dog food, though we hope to gradually move her entirely to dry.
Rosie's not much of a biter or bark-er which is really great since we live in an apartment complex with neighbors on either side, above and below.
Rosie is camera shy. She hides her face when I pull out my professional camera to take photos, though we've also learned it may be because she can't see my eyes or face behind it.
Rosie loves snow! She enjoys running through and jumping into it during potty breaks and visits outside.
For all the the transition and life-change, Rosie is a great addition to our family right now. She has the perfect demeanor, discipline, sense of adventure and love for our lifestyle right now, and we look forward to the days, months and years to come with her!

Well there you have it -- 21 things I've learned in the first 48 hours as a dog dad! The list could probably be much longer, and there will probably be enough for a whole second list in the next few days. To follow along with our new adventure, feel free to follow me on Instagram here!

Any words of advice or support you'd offer my wife and me at this point?