I have said before that before anyone has children they should have a dog. If you can keep the dog alive and teach it a few things, then you can consider child rearing. Prior to that, you have no idea how challenging either can be…
Oh, and not a cat. As much as I love a fuzzball kitteh, it really doesn’t take too much to own a cat. (Yeah, I said it.) An article in TIME Magazine came out recently saying that cats likely refer to us as their “freakishly large roommate.” Harvest the poo, fill the bowl, done. For a dog, you’re a part of their pack – even their alpha.
And their life isn’t the same when you are not in it…
Especially a dog with a mild case of the Velcro…
And before anyone says: “Owning a dog is nothing like a child…!”
Can we take the dog? Is the restaurant dog friendly? We need to get someone to babysit! What does it mean, her poop is green!?! Is it too hot outside? Do you think she’s been in the sun too long? Do you have her blanket? She’s being too quiet – something must be wrong! Are you sure we’ll be back in time to feed the dog? Dang it, she had an accident… it is your turn! We need to go to the store and get some of that special grain-free food that is Made in the USA and the primary ingredient is either chicken or beef or turkey, never lamb, and not less than 14% protien. Time to bathe the dog… we used fifteen towels last time but I think we might need seven more. I’m going to go get the back seat ready to take the dog to the park. Where did she even get that toilet paper – all the bathroom doors are closed!?!
But the thing is, dog ownership is rewarding… Just as I’m sure baby ownership is. But that is not for today.
We rejoice with our furbaby’s successes like learning the “lay down” command. Or the “up” into the car. And though she does fuss a bit when we are away, there’s nobody in this world that has been so excited for me to return.
Ahsoka is a walking advertisement for retired greyhound adoption. She’s beautiful and friendly and just about as good a companion as anyone could ask for. A dog is a major commitment, and life can go from zero to seven hundred complications in the matter of a weekend. She can be needy. Some days aren’t good days.
But most are.
And there are a million reasons why seeing her paw prints all over a freshly vacuumed floor causes me happiness. She may never know that she won the lottery, but I certainly feel as though I did.
Stay tuned,
-Noah D.
