I Like Our Dog

Please, don't tell my family. I will not admit to my family that I like our boy as much as I do, because I drew a proverbial line in the sand as we made plans to adopt him into our family. I made it clear that he is their dog and I don't intend to care for him or bear the responsibility at all.

This is because I have spent years cleaning up after people and pets, recall my widely spaced children. When I was a girl my parents were firm about us kids cleaning up after our pets. Obedient child that I was, I did, and I was fine with that. As I grew up, I still had pets to clean up after, and got married and had a husband to clean up after. Then I had kids and I have been cleaning up diapers and puke and all the messes that being a mother entails (example).

When I had a choice to limit my responsibilities, by opting to not have pets for a long stretch of time, it was easy to get used to not having that extra stuff to do. The constant vacuuming, the occasional flea troubles, the vet visits and bills. For awhile I just didn't miss it all. When my family began pushing really hard to get a pet, I did not acquiesce. I would not agree to it unless they shouldered the duty.

This became a crystal-clear bone of contention (haha) when we first moved to the Keys and our boy had a vet appointment which I refused to take him to. But that it not a story I'm going to tell here. That was some domestic discord.

I'm more of a cat person myself, but I had both dogs and cats over the years, and I have loved them all. But this dog is by far the best behaved, now that he's mellowed a bit. Our boy is a male border collie-yellow lab mix, and he is just over 2 years old. I have to admit I like him now. He's a pretty good dog. He was a royal pest of a puppy. He made my back hurt for 3 days one time when I walked him and he tried to yank me every way his nose thought to lead him. I worried about him for a short time when he got real snarly and grouchy with Calvin, our youngest child. I thought to get rid of him then, but somehow the pecking order was reestablished and he knows he can't usurp Calvin's place in the pack. He has calmed down quite a bit. He's neither bark-y or jumpy. He's crate trained and house trained. He never runs away from me any more, I can let him out without a leash and he will do his business and return to me when I call. He has never chewed on and ruined anything important. He sticks to his raw-hides and the occasional stuffed animal, or maybe and old bottle he's rummaged from the recycling bin (he reuses it then reduces it). He is quite different than the other beloved family pets who destroyed shoes, got up on kitchen counters after food, urinated on purses, and really made a mess of certain embarrassing items they rooted out of the trash.

He's just a good dog that keeps getting better.

So I continue to play indifferent around the family. Keeps them on their toes, and me off of doggie duty and P.U.P (picking up poop). You see, if I show too much affection for OB, they will surely begin to place more and more of his care under my responsibility and believe me, I have enough to do already!

Now, hushhhh, ya'll...I him!