On June 3rd at 12:20 am my first nephew was born. His name is G. Wyatt Stinchfield. My brother Grant and his wife Amy have a 3 year-old yellow lab named Bella. The day of Wyatt arrival home from the hospital my brother posted a you-tube video of Amy sitting down holding Wyatt giggling as Bella whirled around them trying to jump up on her lap to give Wyatt kisses. I have seen new mothers before with their babies terrified that their dog would scratch, hurt, or give their dog germs. But Amy and Grant giggled and remained confident that Bella would learn quickly that her new brother was fragile. As days and weeks go by pictures are sent via email of infant Wyatt lying on Bella’s belly and Bella gently kissing Wyatt’s face. They joke that Sister Bella babysits as they run out of the room for a moment. My brother and sister in law are smart alert people. If there was an ounce of reason to worry about Bella’s behavior around Wyatt they would immediately pick it up. Bella has been the perfect dog.
Here I will ask Bella, “What did you first think of Baby Wyatt and what do you think of him now?”
BELLA: “When I first saw Wyatt I thought this is what they had been telling me about and this is why mom has been gone. I wanted Wyatt to look at me and acknowledge me but he just sat there. I danced around them trying to get him to open his eyes but he remained the same. I wondered if he would ever move. It was not until later on that night that I realized that he was like I was when I was a puppy. I figured it out when I watched him breath. It reminded me of when I was little and use to cuddle up with my sisters and brothers. That is when I realized that it is best to be real still when he is close so that he can sleep comfortable on another breathing body. He moves around more now and he smiles at me. It took a few weeks for him to start recognizing me, but he does now. He is really smart. My mom and dad are still my good friends. I was told by another dog that when your people have a baby that you get ignored, but I am not ignored at all. They still love me and talk to me and take me out. I can’t wait for Wyatt to get a little older because I want to show him all the neat places in the yard and I want to tell him that when he learns to walk he can lean on me. I also want him to know that I will always keep him safe and I will try my hardest to be there if he ever falls. I also want him to know that I will be very careful of the stroller so that he doesn’t get knocked around. I know he is really fragile now, but my dad thinks he will be tough one day. So I can’t wait for the day he can play with me at the dog park. Everyday, Wyatt starts to understand new things. I think he is starting to recognize that there are different colors in the world and he is starting to recognize things by their smell. He doesn’t smell like I do though. He can grab onto things too now. I am so lucky to have him. My mom and dad picked a great baby.”


WATCH BELLA & WYATT MEET FOR THE FIRST TIME: