There has been a lot of discussion floating around my house in the last few weeks about getting a dog – or more accurately, getting a puppy.
It was inspired largely by one of our neighbours who has a two-month-old English Bull Dog. Imagine rolls of fuzzy skin and a pudgy face that can melt even the hardest of hearts. My immediate reaction was, “I want one!”
But since my last whimsical adoption of a bunny didn’t pan out according to plan, the household consensus has been to take some time to deliberate and research whether this will be a good decision in the long run.
It was very timely to hear many office conversations this past week about pets acting outside their desired role, which does not include chewing anything but a bone, whining for middle-of-the-night play sessions outside and reverting back to a time before house training.
Selfishly, I do enjoy coming home to shoes intact and not having to go for a walk in frigid temperatures in the winter for any other reason than because I’m crazy and I want to. But, how can you say no to rolls of fuzzy skin and a pudgy little face?
I can’t back this next statement up by scientific fact, but a dog is a little human being that can’t speak, which is why I agree with the popular opinion that deciding to have a dog is much like deciding its time to welcome home a baby.
Until around two years old for a toddler, puppies and babies make roughly the same incomprehensible sounds which the owner/parent is supposed to decipher.
It’s usually something along the lines of feed me, change me, play with me, pay attention to me. After that point, the toddler can tell you want they want, and a dog should be predictable enough. But that first stage is a learning curve for everyone.
I know it doesn’t sound like I’m giving dogs a good wrap here because, trust me, I adore them; I want one, remember. But, I suppose it’s the timing that’s of concern at the moment.
If you have the time to train a dog, you’ll usually end up with a good dog. Is that something our household can commit to? Well, given the way our bunny acted out due to lack of attention, I’m not sure.
The second issue we’re facing is that our current little-person-that-can’t-speak has a severe Princess complex – you know the one where the world is suppose to revolve around a four-legged girl that weighs less than a sack of potatoes?
I can imagine that she’ll experience that common human emotion known as jealousy. I can’t imagine what state the house would be in after days of the two being left to survival of the fittest.
But on the bright side, having someone who is always happy to see you is oft not found in anyone other than a dog. There’s a joke that reminds me of, which is along the lines of: lock your dog and your husband in the trunk...guess which one is still happy to see you when you open it.
As you can see, our household still have a lot of issues we need to work through. I wonder if it’ll be easier for us just to borrow our neighbour’s dog?
