Why Do I Have Dogs?

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Recently, it seems as if everyone is getting another dog or a puppy and it has made me curious as to why we want dogs at all.  Don’t get me wrong, I am a dog lover through and through, but could I have had a life without a dog and been just as happy?  We got our first family dog, Hershey, because of a dog crazy daughter and I went into dog ownership kicking and screaming. With two kids, one husband, and a job, I figured I had enough to do and did not want to add one more thing to my plate.  So, what did we do, we got a dog and who took care of the dog, not the dog crazy daughter, but me. For years, I thought when Hershey dies, that is it for dogs and me. I am leading the life of leisure and not worrying about a dog. Even though I hate to fly, I just knew my DH and I would travel the world once we did not have a dog to hold us back.  What the heck happened? How did I go from being a future world traveler to the owner of two Labradoodles?

 

Again, I am going to have to blame that dog crazy daughter. Just about the time I thought I would just take a peek at a couple of puppies on the Internet, she decided she wanted a dog too and worked me up into a frenzy.  She started calling about dogs and talking about dogs and I went from trying to talk her out of the huge responsibility of a dog to helping her look. I would send her a picture with a note attached, “I think this is a dumb idea, but isn’t this dog adorable?

 

We have a healthy (maybe not) competitive nature and one thing led to another and soon we were both desperate to get a puppy. I was now sure it was the right decision for our family, but I still worried she was making a terrible mistake.   She was young, getting her PhD, not as settled as we were, and I thought a puppy would tie her down. I would tell her my opinion, which she absolutely loves to hear, only to have her say something about leading by example. When I told her it had to do with maturity, she said she was twenty-five years old and that she really didn’t think I was all that mature.  When I asked her to explain, she said that yesterday she sent me a picture of a puppy she liked and asked me if I thought it was cute and I started laughing and said, “Not as cute as my puppy. I win, you lose….loser.” I asked her what that had to do with maturity and all she said was, “never mind.” I remembered that she said I should lead by example, so I said, “I am very sorry,” and then lowered my voice and whispered, “that your puppy is so ugly,” and all she said was, “I rest my case.”

 

Well, you guessed it, we both got our dog (Fudge for me and a French Bulldog for her) and now we both have two and so I am asking again, why do we get dogs? I mean I worry about these two dogs like I gave birth to them. I knew it from when we had Hershey, yet I did it again. I can’t take a vacation without wondering if they are going to survive. I willingly went through the sleepless nights again, the razor sharp teeth making contact on my skin, the expenses, the restrictions on my time and energy, the curfews I give myself when we are out of the house, and did I mention, being labeled a dog nut by family and friends?

 

You want to know what I came up with when I asked myself this question for the 100^th time? I did it again because there is just something about the love of a dog.  They love you no matter what and nothing you do or say sways them from feeling that way.  Who else loves you when you get up looking like Beetlejuice having a bad hair day? Well, my DH does, but sometimes he makes comments, and Fudge and Vern can’t, so you can see where I am going with this thought.  Who else is happy to see you when you just went down to get the mail? My DH is happy to see me if I am carrying his current issue of Bicycling magazine, but Fudge and Vern don’t care if it is all just junk mail.  A dog doesn’t ask you for money, or rides someplace, or clothes, or help with homework, or tell you they need a uniform washed by tomorrow, or need help finding a shoe, or ever move far away from home. A dog feeds your ego every single day by the way they look at you and wag their tail when they see you coming. So, my answer to my own question is a big, fat YES. I do need a dog to be happy. Now, I have another thought. How do some people NOT have dogs?

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Thanks, Nancy!

Carol, I think you did amazing holding out for THREE years!!

Jennifer, So glad you get such love from Chloe and Myla :) Thank you!

Sue, You made me laugh. It does seem like we spend a lot of time taking about our dogs at our house too.

 

 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I love reading your blogs.  Yeah! How DO some people NOT have dogs????

[Carol and Banjo]

Laurie thank you again for making me laugh...ahhhh....a life of leisure...traveling....lounging .... enjoying one on one time with DH......well....DH and I did that (maybe not the traveling I had dreamed about...but nice little vacations)....3 years....and THEN I stumbled upon this "new" breed...Goldendoodles .... and I was HOOKED....I HAD to HAVE one....and then I had to convince DH that he HAD to have one too!   The rest is history....neither of us can imagine a life without our Banjo.    How did we not feel bored and dull back then????    Life would surely be boring and dull without this guy.   Coming home to that funny face and wagging tail is as good as it gets!

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

I never was a dog person, we always had cats. My dad & stepmom got a dog but it didn't seem like "ours" at all- I wasn't close to him at all. Now I think what did me and DH do/talk/argue/laugh about before we had our dogs.Chloe was a blessing she popped up in my life and taught me unconditional love. I would have never experienced this otherwise. My cat has been through ALOT with me he's 13 (I'm allergic) When it was just me & him I would talk or cry to him and he would just keep rubbing against me. Chloe and especially Myla are right there listening, tilting their head like they understand and if I even sniffle Myla comes running to lick my tears! Chloe lets me lay on her and hug her. They have helped me through tough times in the last few months and I don't know what I would do without them. I know they won't be here forever but I have been blessed. Love your post Laurie-thanks for making us think about what we have and to enjoy it.

[Sue, Lola, Pongo & Hubby]

I love reading your blogs, Laurie. I don't know what we would do without our Lola. We'd have absolutely nothing to talk about (scary thought...moving on...) She's so loving, entertaining, hilarious, cuddly, ladylike, genius, curious, suspicious....(I'll stop now).....I think I'd be a miserable fart without a dog to be honest. She keeps me alive!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

A few times a year, usually before we are going out of town sans doggies, they are not at home because they are staying with my parents so we can head out early.  On those nights, it is so depressing I cannot put it into words.  The silence is deafening.  Even though my two don't make a lot of noise. I miss Peri's hmmmphs when she settles down to sleep. I miss Taquito's click-click-click of his nails on the hardwoods.  It is empty beyond words and unsettling.  Souless is a good way to put it. 

When I have a bad day, just petting the dogs makes me feel better. Therapy - my own kind!

[Anna and Achilles]

Laurie, welcome back I missed you!!! I was  the same way when Houdini was at the end. I will never get another. I wanted the boys to experience a dog growing up and he was the best dog anyone could have asked for, so I figured I was done. well a few weeks in to coming home to an empty house and I was a miserable mess. The house felt soulless. There is something very special about the love of a dog. You are 100% right!! You can tell your family I said that.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Laurie, great blog as always.  We're about to experience how it will feel to not have ANY KIDS or dogs for three days.  We're heading for Martha's Vineyard tomorrow morning.  All three of my boys are going to "camp".  My DS is at s Special Needs Camp for two weeks and the Doods are going to spend a few days at their daycare.  I've already got knots in my stomach about leaving them.  I know they will all be fine, but I'm a worrier and I know that I'll miss them.  Want to bet that DH and I spend this "alone time" talking about DS and the Doodles....what else is there to talk about?

[Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey]

Laurie, I love reading your posts.  I cannot imagine living without a dog in my life.  I have only done it twice, while I was away at college and after we lost two 13 year old dogs within weeks of one another.  In college I made up for not being able to have a dog by having a pet Guinea pig.  After Morgan & Rusty passed I thought I would not have another dog.  Then a year later and much begging from our DDs we brought home two 8 week old Beagles (Baxter & Sherlock).  I hadn't realized just how empty my life had been without a (or 2) in it until "the boys" filled it.

I am not sure how some people NOT have dogs.

[sandy b]

Laurie, I always enjoy your blogs. I can't imagine life without a dog. We lost our little yorkie about a year before we got Max and DH and I both said no more dogs. But i was online checking out rescues and different breed websites. And now (Max will be 3 this month) we can't imagine life w/o Max. All of my pets will always have a special place in my heart but there is just something about Max that sets him apart.