Are We Ready For A Dog?
My girls want a dog. Like desperately want a dog. My husband wants a dog. But he also realizes that the kids are probably not ready for the responsibility. But he still wants one. I do NOT want a dog. Like ever. Don’t get me wrong, I grew up with and around dogs, but back then I was not responsible for the dogs and had very little interaction with them. As an adult, I had a dog. Zoey was the perfect dog for single me. Very chill and kept to herself. She fed off of my energy. After she went on to glory, I was perfectly fine never having a dog. But the other people in my house don’t share the same sentiment. So now we are at a crossroads. Are we ready for a dog?
Dogs are a lot of responsibility
As I said, my girls are not responsible enough to care for a dog. I am finally getting them to clean up after themselves, and they don’t always do the best job of it. So, it is safe to say that the primary care of this dog will fall on the adults in the house. Which basically means, it will become my responsibility to care for the thing that I do not want. In the puppy stage, there is potty training and possible bottle feeding. It is really like having a newborn all over again. I remember when I first got Zoey; I had to rush home after work to let her out to make sure she didn’t make a mess in the house. With after school activities, that would be a strain to do. And if the dog does not get to go out, that means you will have a treat waiting on you when you get home. Do you think a tired eight-year-old will want to clean that up? I think not.
Dogs are expensive
Dogs really are like another child. There are vet bills. There are dog that are on anxiety meds and antidepressants. Some have gluten free and other special diets that require special foods. You have to pay the groomer. And you know the dog will need a cute wardrobe. You have to coordinate and pay for boarding when you go out of town. Did you know that there are doggy daycares now? And trust me they are not cheap! The added expense of a dog is something we can handle, but it is also something that I am not sure we want to handle. Obviously, if we welcome a dog into our family, and the dog needed special care we will take care of it. But it is still definitely something to consider.
Nothing lasts forever
As with life, everyone must die. Including dogs. As I said when I was little, I had very little interaction with the dogs we had so when they died, I was unaffected. When Zoey passed away, there were definitely feelings involved. The thought of having to help my kids cope with the loss of a dog is heartbreaking. I have friends that have had to go through this, and they all say how it is one of the hardest things they have ever had to do. I know that this is a part of life and something that can’t be escaped, but if I have a way to protect my kids, I most definitely will. Am I also protecting myself? Absolutely.
So now what?
As of right now, my husband and I have tabled the idea of getting a dog. But I know that it will come back again. We are planning on dog sitting my in-laws dog in a few weeks. This will help gauge just how ready the girls are for a dog. And it will help me see exactly how much I have to rearrange my life for a dog. For now we will stick to our fish!
