Why are we getting a dog?
I’m not sure how it happened, but we’re getting a dog.
My 14-year-old son has been campaigning for months for a canine familiar. I found it very hard to believe that this boy, his preferred location his bedroom, curtains shut even in summer, attention focused firmly on PC (mainly scanning Reddit for cute pooch pics) or playing Radiohead on bass guitar, would be instantly transformed into a paragon of active and responsible dog ownership if a puppy were to enter the house.
My youngest son isn’t really bothered if we get a dog or a hamster really, it’s just degrees of size to him. As long as it will sit and watch him play Minecraft, he’ll be happy. My partner wasn’t that bothered either, apart from quite liking the idea that having a dog to walk would mean that he could get away from the house when he needed to think about stuff, like why Luis Suarez is such a flawed genius.
The cats were also a major consideration; one is a tightly-wound, emotionally fragile and pretty queen of a female, a bit like Marilyn Monroe, and the other one is a contentedly portly ginger boy with a laid back vibe about him. I don’t think he’d mind that much, as long as the dog didn’t eat his food or lie on his spot on the bed.
As for me, I thought that getting a dog would just mean that I had something else to clean up after and feed that didn’t say thank you or buy me wine.
Then one night, a documentary on how all-round magnificent dogs are appeared on telly. As it wasn’t Game of Thrones or football-based, I didn’t think my partner would be paying much attention. But as I bustled around picking up socks and pants, I realised that all three of the boys were transfixed. So I sat down and watched too.
Dogs are amazing! Of course there’s those stupid little hairy poos on legs sported in the handbags of birds off TOWIE, but when you get down to the nitty-gritty of it, dogs are pretty awesome. We watched, weeping silently, at the story of a yellow Labrador that had literally brought his owner, a war vet who had withdrawn so far into himself he couldn’t speak or go out, back to life. We gazed open-mouthed at the incredible story of a rescue dog who saved the life of an elderly woman who had got lost one night in a forest after getting off at the wrong bus stop and had fallen and lain tangled in brambles for three days. There’s more to them than doggy smell and slobbery faces, I thought.
Then something deeper stirred, which I haven’t really acknowledged until now. I actually do want something else to look after and love. Despite moaning constantly about being an educated woman, reduced to the status of a household drudge thanks to the acute laziness of my all-male immediate family, I do want something else to nurture, and protect. The fact is that the dog will probably still be lolloping around the house after my boys have left home. Then what will I do? He’ll fill a hole in the empty nest I’m dreading even now.
So we’ve found one, and he’s moving in in June. Our lives will never be the same again. I can’t wait.
Hi Amy!! Yes, dogs are utterly amazing. We rescued a greyhound years ago, and despite claiming I would never have a dog that wore coats, she was a calming, sedate yet hilarious addition to our (pre-children) household. She died just after our first son was born, and we are now debating a puppy (so I shall watch these comments closely!).
Highlights of Molly:
– the day she stole and ate a whole brisket of beef from the kitchen worktop, including the string
– the day she caught a pigeon….whilst she was on the lead!
– the way she used to walk up and lean against our legs as though she needed a hug
– the way she could only really run in a giant circle (a throwback to her racing days in Ireland)
– she was so huge she couldn’t sit
– she barked every time my husband and I argued (putting a stop to most disagreements!)
– she was the perfect height to steal ice creams from small children
Good luck with pooch xx
Alison Wilkinson x
Life will not be the same Amy, but in a good way.
Dogs love you unconditionally. They have such expressive eyes and read human faces.
They protect you and the house. If anyone is outside ours, the whole street can hear Ruby bark!
They do stop arguments. I’m with Alison on that, but Ruby goes to the back door as she worries and that shuts us up. “You’ve frightened the dog now!”;)
They keep you fit. You may not appreciate getting up and out in the rain and cold, but you always come back with a clearer head.
You don’t need a bin as you will have a dustbin. (Ignore that, otherwise you will have a very fat dog)
Most importantly, you will have a friend for life and someone for your teenager to hug when he doesn’t want to hug you as it’s not cool.
Good luck. We have a labradoodle and she is gorgeous. 😀
Life will never be the same again Amy, but in a good way.
We have a 2 year old Labradoodle named Ruby and she is gorgeous.
Dogs love you unconditionally and have such human eyes. They can read emotions which is why they are sad if you are, share your excitement if you’re happy and so on. I think one of the reasons we bought a dog was because we only have one child. He’s 16, going on 17 and I know it won’t be long before he is off doing his own thing. Having a dog means you have to get out and exercise it and consequently you benefit from that too. Walking a dog in all weathers ( a dog will soon tell you if you are leaving it too long to walk them ;)) isn’t something you always want to do, but it always clears your head and sets you up for the day. They are also a very good alarm clock, for obvious reasons, so you won’t sleep in! Ruby is a good guard dog as well. She frightens the life out of the postman – not intentionally I may add, but if anyone dares to come near the front door, the whole street hears about it! I’m with Amy on the stopping arguments issue; Ruby runs to the back door as she worries. This stops the shouting because “you’ve frightened the dog now!”
All in all, you will have a friend for life and someone for your teenager to hug when it’s not cool to hug your parents anymore.
Thanks Alison, I hope you do decide to take the plunge, you won’t regret it I’m sure x
Thank you Amanda, wonderful stories! So having a dog really does change your life in a good way 🙂
Apologies for the duplication. I didn’t think the comment came out the first time.