As they say, “dog is a man’s best friend” – well, we like to say a ‘person’s’ best friend. But dogs are so much more than just that, they are an integral part of the family. My kids begged for a dog for years – I compromised with getting a kitten. That satiated them for awhile but then back to wanting the dog. “We’ll walk him” “We’ll feed him” “Every boy needs a dog” (says my son) and “Every girl needs a dog” (says my daughter). My husband was no help, he’s a big softie and wanted a dog also.
I love animals and in theory liked the idea of getting a dog, but in reality knew that it would be one more responsibility that I would end up taking the brunt of. I would end up feeding him, walking him, cleaning up the chewed up pieces of everything he ate, etc… But after weeks of walking by the animal rescue at our farmers market – there he was. The cutest little puppy you’ve ever seen. The kids begged and pleaded. I stayed strong. He sat on their laps as they shared a chair and licked their faces and snuggled. What was I to do? We took the dog home an hour later.
Fast forward 8 months, the kids don’t feed him, they do walk him when I ask three times, I do clean up after him, but let me tell you, he has brought such joy to our family that I wouldn’t trade the dog hair for anything. We take him on family hikes, walks to school and we’ve made new friends with dogs – I had no idea I’d be setting up doggy playdates. The absolute best part is coming home after a long day and being greeted at the door with tail-wagging and love.
