I've been putting off this post for 3 months thinking I shouldn't write about it just in case it doesn't work out. But then the other day Emma asked me why I hadn't put our new addition on the blog yet and I felt bad. So it's official. We have a pet and I wasn't foreshadowing anything in that post last summer. I had no plans for this, but Todd got puppy fever and the next thing I knew we had a dog.
If you have kids or a small desire for a dog, I must warn that you may not want to look at the picture of our little but growing quickly yellow lab. I would recommend that you don't show it to your children either or you may find yourself with one of these under your Christmas tree.
So here I thought I would list ten things to consider before bringing one home in no particular order and they are not all cons.
1. They bring in a lot of dirt. I am not a big fan of this and thankful for my nearly carpet free house.
2. They need to be bathed almost as often as kids or you can get a doggy smell in your house.
3. They have vet visits not covered by your health insurance.
4. They have to be trained to stay in a crate, go potty outside (an extra clean up chore for kids) and not chew up everything.
5. They chew up everything! Borrowed library books don't mean anything to them.
6. You must provide them a form of exercise. This is a good thing if you need forced exercise. Labs in particular have lots of energy it and we are a pretty active family, so it has not been a problem so far. A large yard and a swimming pool are a bonus to a dog like ours who tries to sneak in the pool area every time the pool guy shows up. She'll swim laps forever and fetch things out of the water.
7. Any windows at dog level do not stay clean. I used to stress over the sliding door having hand prints all over it. Now all the windows in our living areas have doggy nose or paw prints on them . I've given up on the windows. They get washed by the kids now and then and I just know it is out of my control now.
8. They can be a replacement for a sibling. Emma asked for a dog or a sister for 3 years until the dog showed up. She has not asked for either one since.
9. They are free entertainment. I never knew how fun it would be to watch the dog play or learn new things. It is almost a zen like thing to let the dog off the leash at the lake and just be in the moment with her. Seeing the world through her eyes can be a big stress reliever.
10. They are really cute. No explanation needed.
Suri
I have never had a dog so everything is new to me. I wasn't sure how this whole thing would go, but I do know that she's a keeper.
