Crazy Dog Lady

Way back when (before kids, and even after kids), I didn't want to get a dog. My Mom claimed that she was allergic to anything with hair, so I never grew up with pets of any kind (other than Rupert the turtle who reincarnated himself before becoming soup, but that's another blog post.) Then I grew up, and DH wanted a dog, and then suddenly I wanted a dog, and now we have one - the amazing Teddy, greyhound extraordinare.

To be sure, I'm still not a dog person...even though this beast was my idea in the first place, and even though he's fit so well into our lives that I can hardly remember life before him. Tonight we had some dinner with friends who are contemplating getting their first dog. The wife (who knows my prior life as a "no way in hell am I getting a dog" person) asked me if I was glad we got him.

I had to think about it for a moment, because, well, I don't love that he needs feeding and walking and whatnot. This is especially true since my kids can now feed and walk themselves and part of me loves the freedom I have from childcare duties. I don't love that he shits on my lawn because DH was too lazy to teach him to do his business in one specific corner of the garden. I don't love that it costs money - precious money right at this moment - to feed him the fancy dog food DH insists Teddy needs. I don't love that we cannot just disappear from the house for a weekend, because we need to plan for his welfare.

However.

I love that he just wants to be loved, and that he somehow manages to get 5 humans to comply with his requests. I love that he lays himself down - often in the strangest and most uncomfortable looking positions - just to be close to us. I love that he follows us around from room to room, and will often sit as close as he can (he even wraps himself around the base of the office chair as I blog) just to be with us. I love that his walking regime means we ALL get exercise at some point in the week. I love that he eats leftovers because it's almost like we are recycling, and I *heart* recycling. I love that giving him a pat and a cuddle and pulling his ears up gently so he looks funny can calm my soul. I love that the cheeky bugger manages to get himself loads of treats even though each of us will claim that it wasn't us who let him have it.

I just love...that he needs to be loved and we can provide that. I never realised how much love we had to give (and frankly, I thought our love was all accounted for my 3 other people in this house).

So while I may not have turned into "a dog person"...I'm a "Teddy person." So, god bless his cotton socks (which I just know he would wear if he could), I told her she'd be CRAZY not to get a dog. Because, you know, all dog ladies are crazy.