Puppy Pressure
My husband and I have been married ten years. When we were engaged we rescued a puppy. Two years ago he went to Doggie Heaven. Because many of our friends have been married about the same amount of time, their dogs also passed on within a year or so of ours. Four families, no dogs. Life was fine. But, then one family, without the consent of the others, jumped in and adopted a puppy. Slowly, but surely, the rest caved in, too. That left my family as the only “dogless” family.
Don’t get me wrong. I loved my dog. He was sweet and happy and loved our daughter. He was also stubborn, hairy and expensive. His hip displacement problem cost us about every month for seven years. That was just for the medication, not to mention the vet visits, x-rays, and high-quality food. But, we were responsible pet owners, and we loved him. He was a member of the family, a member who couldn’t fend for himself. So, guess whose responsibility it was to feed him, brush him, trim his claws, etc.? Mine! To give my husband some credit, he was “poop daddy” and cleaned up after him in the yard. But that was it. I walked him and dealt with his quirky fears, allergic reactions, and sloppy eating habits.
Although I get a little pang when I see a Golden Retriever on the street, I don’t want another one. My daughter and husband are constantly hounding me (no pun intended), and every time we see our friends and their sweet puppies, I’m the “mean” mom because I’m not ready to go there. Sure, they say they’ll help feed, walk and care for the shedding beast, but I know after a few weeks it will be all me, all the time. My mom friends have even said, “Don’t do it, it’s like having a toddler again.”
Not even the kittens we adopted earlier this year have stopped the whining of my 7-year old. So I’ve come up with a compromise. I will get a puppy. But, it will be a puppy of my choosing because we all know I will be the primary caregiver. I want a smallish dog that I can pick up and wash his paws in the sink after a muddy walk. So far, it’s a stand off. They insist on the big dog, and no one’s giving in-- so, no dog. Guess that means I win (or everybody loses).
My husband and I have been married ten years. When we were engaged we rescued a puppy. Two years ago he went to Doggie Heaven. Because many of our friends have been married about the same amount of time, their dogs also passed on within a year or so of ours. Four families, no dogs. Life was fine. But, then one family, without the consent of the others, jumped in and adopted a puppy. Slowly, but surely, the rest caved in, too. That left my family as the only “dogless” family.
Don’t get me wrong. I loved my dog. He was sweet and happy and loved our daughter. He was also stubborn, hairy and expensive. His hip displacement problem cost us about every month for seven years. That was just for the medication, not to mention the vet visits, x-rays, and high-quality food. But, we were responsible pet owners, and we loved him. He was a member of the family, a member who couldn’t fend for himself. So, guess whose responsibility it was to feed him, brush him, trim his claws, etc.? Mine! To give my husband some credit, he was “poop daddy” and cleaned up after him in the yard. But that was it. I walked him and dealt with his quirky fears, allergic reactions, and sloppy eating habits.
Although I get a little pang when I see a Golden Retriever on the street, I don’t want another one. My daughter and husband are constantly hounding me (no pun intended), and every time we see our friends and their sweet puppies, I’m the “mean” mom because I’m not ready to go there. Sure, they say they’ll help feed, walk and care for the shedding beast, but I know after a few weeks it will be all me, all the time. My mom friends have even said, “Don’t do it, it’s like having a toddler again.”
Not even the kittens we adopted earlier this year have stopped the whining of my 7-year old. So I’ve come up with a compromise. I will get a puppy. But, it will be a puppy of my choosing because we all know I will be the primary caregiver. I want a smallish dog that I can pick up and wash his paws in the sink after a muddy walk. So far, it’s a stand off. They insist on the big dog, and no one’s giving in-- so, no dog. Guess that means I win (or everybody loses).
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