Buck meets Halle: What's this crying creature?

Hilarious. That's the word I'd use to describe Buck's first experience with Halle. For those of you who don't know, Buck is our dog, a Shepherd/Husky mix. We are cautious but not anxious about him getting to know her. As a "pack dog", the most likely scenario is that he will grow to love and protect her very quickly, just as he does us.

But, obviously first he had to meet her! Yesterday I brought him home from the kennel and kept him on a leash downstairs with me, letting him smell various things she had been in contact with. We then walked upstairs, where Kristin was changing a diaper. I took over so she could visit with Buck, who did not notice Halle. But as soon as she started crying, his two ears went up like antennas, and he quickly moved to the side of the changing table to check out the scene. "What in the world is going on?!", you could see him saying!

Sniffing was the theme of his day yesterday. He sniffed her feet. He sniffed her back. He sniffed her head...and wagged his tail the whole time! We're not sure he knows what to think just yet, especially when she cries. He's not a big fan of that--at all! It seems like he's still trying to figure out not just what she is, but how long she'll be here. He was definitely a stressed out last night, but, overall, he still seems to have taken really positively to her. We think he'll be a great protector and friend to her as she grows up with him!