Dog Days of Summer

The first time someone told me I had to get a dog was, I believe, when I was pregnant with Carson, “Two boys!!! Now you’ll just need a dog.” I’ve heard it many times since, “Every boy needs a dog!” We already have two cats and two fish and I am the ONLY one who feeds any of them. I understand, boys can’t play with a fish, but I have seen them playing hide and seek with our one cat, Daphney, (she hides in a panicked state while they run around looking for her) and holding the other cat, Cali (by the neck or tail!).

I’ve almost succumbed to the pressures of getting a dog, even checking out the cute little buggers online and at a local store. Puppies are almost impossible to resist. I once heard, or read, that God gives us our children as babies because if He gave them to us as teenagers, we’d give them back. Dogs are the same way. You fall in love with them when they are cute little puppies. Then, when they "have an accident" on your floor, it’s just a little one and who could be mad at THOSE eyes!

Dogs do seem to be an effort, though. I just got two boys pretty well trained and don’t feel like training a puppy. Plus, there’s the guilt-factor. We aren’t home a lot during the school year so the pup would be home alone much of the time. Isn’t there enough guilt over just being a mother??

In an effort to continually resist the pressures of purchasing a pup, I offered to have Kyle and Carson dog-sit while my sister-in-law was out of town. The dog, Allie, is really sweet, blind and diabetic, but sweet as pie. She is an unbelievably easy dog to take care of. Kyle has been very good about leading her down the deck stairs, and back up again. He took her for a walk and I even heard him refilling her water bowl without being asked! He had told every neighbor that we now have a dog and invited all neighbor kids to see her. The other night, he took Allie’s bed and placed it next to his. Kyle was giddy at the prospect of having the pooch sleep next to him. Allie promptly lay down and both were asleep quickly. I have to admit, it did seem fitting to see the black lab sleeping on her little brown plaid bed, next to a boy’s bed, all among the baseball cards, matchbox cars, dinosaurs, etc.
But, the reality is, neither boy is willing to clean the yard without… 1. Gagging and 2. Asking for money. Carson wants a dog but really wants NOTHING to do with the maintenance. Kyle is willing to do some upkeep but will only retrieve dog doo-doo if he gets paid. I think, for now, we will just stick with our fish, Jesus and Chicken Nugget, and our tormented cats.

Sweet Allie with the boys!