The kids are already asking for a replacement – in the form of a puppy. I won’t lie, on Saturday when their tears were fresh, I almost broke down. Thankfully, the Officer was out of town and I have a standing promise to NOT purchase any animals while he’s away (yes, this promise is based on the fact that it has happened in the past, as I have been known to spontaneously purchase living creatures. But that’s another post). So, I reminded the minis of this promise and they were appeased for the time being. But I know that won’t last for long (the Officer’s home). So, for purely accountability purposes, here’s why we’re not getting a puppy right now:
1.
Puppies
are like newborns – they need all kinds of attention. You have to get up in the middle of the night
to take them out. They cry. They chew.
They pee and poop everywhere.
2.
Puppies
aren’t trained – not only in regards to being house broken, but also not “sit/heal/stay/down/no!”
3.
Puppies
require a LOT of time – See #2. It takes
constant work to train a well-behaved dog.
And right now, I don’t have that kind of time to invest. So I’d end up with an ill-behaved dog. Also, they're needy; they don't like to be seperated from their "pack;" which means that our family's schedule would be painful for a little dog to endure.
4.
We
have rabbits – I’m kinda tapped out on the whole animal thing right now. The bunnies are cute (but we’re having behavior
issues with them because they’re both boys), but they’re still animals and
still need care, take up space, etc. So
short of a beta, I really don’t want any more animals running around the house.
5.
Puppies
need to be babysat when their owners leave town – we’re planning a vacation in
a few months; and honestly, it’s nice to not have to finagle pet care. Also, having no puppy frees us up to take
more spontaneous trips this summer, or stay out all day. Both of which sound like fun ideas right now…
6.
I’ll be the one taking care of it. Let’s just be honest, the Officer (working 2
jobs, and being a full-time graduate student) has far less time than I; and as
much as the kids say they’ll help, we all know that when it comes down to it,
their homework/sports/piano lessons/etc will come before their pet ownership responsibilities. And frankly, I don’t want to add the whole
puppy care agenda to my plate right now.
7.
I’m
not ready – yes, as I turn off the lights at night, I still turn to call the
dog upstairs. Yes, first thing in the
morning, I put my hand over the side of the bed for that good morning
kiss. And yes, when I open the front
door, I still do it in the way that won’t knock her over because I still think
she’s waiting right there for me. And I’m
still sad about all of those things.
Adding a puppy won’t change that.
Here
are 3 things We’ll be doing instead:
1.
Planting
a tree in our yard – we’ll call it Daisy’s tree (I already know that by doing
this, the minis will want to plant one for our first dog, Oso, too. That’s fine.
More shade…eventually).
2.
Find
some photos of the dog and make a photo book – this likely won’t happen anytime
soon. Or it’ll be a family project. One that the minis participate in, helping to
choose the photos and compose the captions.
A good way to help them get some closure.
3.
Keep
talking to them about how they feel about her being gone. Giving them space to express their emotions,
and sharing mine as well.
I’m
sure we’ll get another dog eventually. I
won’t be able to stand unwavering as all three of my family members ask for
their hearts’ desire. But hopefully I
can put it off for at least a year, when we’ll all have more time to devote to
raising, training, and caring for a new puppy.
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