Pura Vida: My little Monster

Or you can also call her Nala. She is my (or our :-P) 2,5-months old American Stafford puppy.
Cristian and I are both dog-people and don’t really have big feelings for cats. So, since we have a medium-sized house with a backyard here, we both thought that a dog would be a good idea. However, we couldn’t decide on the breed. I wanted something cute and not to big, e.g. a Beagle or Cocker Spaniel. But Cristian wanted something dangerous and strong to guard the house, e.g. a Rottweiler, Pit Bull or American Stafford (this breed was his first choice). At first I was totally against an American Stafford because in Germany they belong to the group of attack dogs/fighting dogs and are regarded as dangerous, aggressive and mean. However, after somebody stole my backpack from the backyard (see post “Welcome to the Reality”) and after I did some reading on those dogs, I was convinced that an American Stafford is a good choice. By nature they are friendly dogs, they are not provoked easily, and they are even good with kids. Of course, it all has to do with how you treat and raise the dog. And I just want Nala to bark when somebody is around the house, but not to bite. (Plus since in Costa Rica, in contrast to Germany, you don’t have to pay extra high taxes or have to get a certain licence for owning that kind of dog, I had no further arguments against this breed. Actually, I think you don’t pay any taxes for any kind of dog here in Costa Rica. The only downside of having an American Stafford for us is: We can never take her to Germany. By law it is forbidden to import those dogs.)
By the way, she already is a pro in barking and growling when people are close to our house or when other dogs are defending their territory. However, in other situations she is a real coward, e.g. walking along the street when the loud trailers and buses are passing.
I once had a dog before. But when we (my family) got her, I was too young to really remember how exhausting puppies can be. Nala follows me absolutely everywhere: she sits on my feet when I wash the dishes, she sleeps beside the sofa when I watch a movie, she follows me into the bathroom when I have to pee, she comes outside when I take the laundry off the line… And she prefers falling asleep in my arms and likes to be carried around: she is a real baby. However, the following me around has one good point: At least I know when she is chewing up the furniture, shoes, clothing, books….
Other than that she is a very smart dog (I think): She already knows how to bring back her toy bone when I through it away, she is one the way to be completely housebroken, and she knows basic commands like “No” and “Stop” (with a little treat in front of her nose she also knows “Sit”).
And…does anybody recognize her name? Yep, it’s the name of Simba’s girlfriend from The Lion’s King. I had asked for help from my friends on Facebook; I wanted them to give me suggestions for cute names from Disney movies. And Sara came up with Nala and since The Lion’s King is my favorite Disney movie, it’s the perfect name for my little monster. Thanks Sara!
So, and now you can see a few pictures of her. By the way, she is already bigger than a Jack Russel and I think in one month she will have the size of a Cocker Spaniel. If she will become anything like her parents, she is going to be one strong and pretty American Stafford!

Cristian and Nala on the da we picked her up: