- You can kiss goodbye to lie-ins. You may know that it's the week-end, but the dog's body clock doesn't know that.
- You have to be consistent, if you want good behaviour. Being consistent is really hard. Really hard.
- You feel bad when you shout at him. But not bad enough that you don't do it again.
- You feel slightly aggrieved when you meet another dog with the same name as yours. Yes, it's a vote of confidence that it's a good choice of name, but harrumph, you don't want too many of them around.
- You feel guilty when it's the end of the day and you feel you haven't paid him enough attention.
- You hear yourself saying things to him in public in a slightly-too-loud voice, like "you're being very noisy... you're not usually like this...".
- It's embarrassing when he doesn't play nicely with other dogs, even though the other owners are very understanding and say things like "oh, he's just full of energy".
- Lots of things are "just a phase".
- There's always something in your pocket that, in an ideal world, wouldn't be there, but which you can't leave the house without. With a small child, it's a stock of manky tissues. With a dog, it's a few crumpled dog poo bags.
- His separation anxiety is both rather endearing (it's nice to be so needed) and very irritating (it's a drag to be so needed).
- Gardening is impossible. You really think he's going to occupy himself quietly elsewhere in the garden while you pay attention to plants?
- You spend more on his haircuts than on your own.
Instead, here is a video of his latest trick, because - and here's another illustration of the comparison - one can't help being ridiculously proud of every small achievement. (And this one is a double reason for maternal pride, since I had nothing to do with it. The children trained him.)
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Tell me about it. We had to board/kennel our dog with a lady she loves for 3 weeks and apparently by the end the dog minder was feeling bad. Then the Ball & Chain came back with the boys 4 days earlier than me and the dog slept at the front door every night, and wouldn't even go and sit out in the back with them. Guilt?
ReplyDeleteIn answer to a few of your points
- get an early-riser husband, if you'll pardon the expresh. Prob too late now anyway
- dogs have limited memory so if you don't shout at them the instant they've done something wrong, forget it.
- Grooming - well, yes. The last (and first) stint we did with our mutt was $90 - and that was a new client discount. I don't think so.
- Rolling over - the one and only time I rolled our dog over, (can't remember why) she nearly took me bloody hands off.
We are thinking of getting a dog (ours passed away a couple of years ago). The kids are desperate but I find myself keep coming up with excuses. First all my kids have to be potty trained (just one left there) because I can't bear the thought of dealing with poo on more than one front, and then everyone has to listen and obey because I can't begin to imagine how bossy I will sound if I'm walking down the street shouting at kids and a dog. So thanks for this last post as it is a very nice reality check about what owning a dog is all about. Although Hector is so cute you can't help but love him.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, those haircuts...Our dog gets her hair cut MORE frequently than i do , AND it costs the same as my hair cut. Tsk.
ReplyDeleteHeck, hounds. The children can't wait (we've said yes, but haven't specified the all-important 'when'. But the logistics? Nightmare. Who's going to be the one walking/feeding/cleaning-up-after/grooming? It all sounds EXHAUSTING!
ReplyDeleteLove that video!!! And - do I hear the vestiges of an American accent in those commands?
ReplyDeleteThank goodness we've always had Labradors who don't require actual grooming - just brushing and hosing off after they've rolled in something vile. I think I've mentioned before that our boy is in Canada with my cousin for the duration of our time in Seoul - we knew that he would not make a good transition from American suburbia to apartment life - and we miss him terribly! I agree with all of those similiarities and will add one of my own: when the boys were small and Daddy went out of town on business,one (or both) of them always slept in the bed with me. Once they got too big for that, the dog moved in (when MrL was home, he'd only been allowed on the bed before lights -out while we were reading, but not when we were trying to sleep: a 100-lb dog takes up too much space when there are already 2 adults in the bed.) As with the boys, I found his presence reassuring but, on occasion, slightly annoying: they kicked, he snored. ; )
I find it easier to take compliments about the dogs... Accepting strangers 'aren't they gorgeous' 'aren't they good' is easier (and sometimes, it has to be said more frequent) than with child....
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful dog! My in-laws got their dog around the same time that my daughter was born. There was definitely something broody going on there! We looked after her one weekend and, actually, give me a small child any day over a dog that needs to walk and walk and WALK.
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous pooch! We're dog sitting this week and so many of your observations are really ringing true. Hard work, but really rather lovely; though I'm still not sure we're ready for the dog we're thinking of getting next year.
ReplyDeleteHector is so gorgeous, I can't imagine him ever doing anything naughty! I would like a dog, but am slightly put off by the picking up of doggy poo and walking around with the warm evidence in a bag. Do you just get used to that??
ReplyDeleteI talk to my dog as if she is my child but don't think I am alone in doing that :-)
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