Pet Parenting for Dummies

MY DOG IS SMARTER THAN A FIFTH GRADER!!!

 

Today is NATIONAL PET PARENT'S DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  My husband and I have been pet parents for our entire married life.  In those 27 years, we have had three dogs and one cat.  We don't play animal farm and raise herds of animals at one time, but early in our marriage we did have a dog and cat - Peanut and Smokey.  Actually, they were Larry's pets and I adopted them.  I was the new step-mom.

When Peanut died at age 16, we waited about a year.  Everyone is different, but we always say we will never get another pet because we could not possibly love another one like the one we lost.  Well - after about a year we were back at the shelter looking at dogs.  We found one that looked so much like Peanut, but he had one distinguishing trait - he had freckles on his nose!  So, we named him Freckles.

Every dog has an individual personality (every dog owner will tell you that).  Freckles liked to bring his food bowl down to the basement to remind us to feed him.  If nothing was put in the bowl immediately, he would proceed to hit the bowl with his paw until the bowl would turn over!  If we still ignored his request, he began to bark and hit the bowl with his paw!  

No, it was not an act we could take on the road, and nobody at a talk show would care to book us - but he was part of our family and entertained us quite well.

Freckles lived to be somewhere around 15 or 16.  He died of a stroke.  Again we grieved.  We said we would never get another animal.  In about another year, we made a trip to the shelter again.  There was Casey - just looking up at us as if to say, "I'm the one - pick me - pick me!"

Someone had actually adopted him - but then brought him back!  I suspect he had chewed on something, but I don't know for sure.  One thing about becoming a pet parent, you learn to puppy-proof your house!  If you don't want something chewed up, you'd better put it out of their reach. 

On December 23, 2002, Casey came home with us.  He is a Beagle-mix, but has black fur.  He has a Beagle bark which I can distinguish when I'm out walking.  I hear the other dogs in the neighborhood bark, but I know immediately when it's my baby barking! 

Casey is 12 years old now and beginning to slow down a bit (like the rest of us).  He has a bit of gray hair amongst the black, and has had a couple of bouts with cancer.  He has had toes removed from his paw because of cancer.  He's also having some difficulty walking, although he does not seem to be in pain, so we just take him in every couple of months for a shot at the Vet's office. 

If you are thinking about becoming a pet parent, don't do it without counting the cost.  There are plenty of costs involved if you want to be a good pet parent.  Too many people just get a pet because it's cute - but then don't really take care of it.  That's so sad - and so unfair to the animal who cannot speak for itself.  Be sure you know what is expected of you before you welcome a pet into your family.

It's more than just throwing some food in a bowl and making sure there's water.  If you don't truly love animals, then this is probably not a good idea for you.  I'm not saying you have to paint your pet's nails or anything (although some people do), but animals are a great deal of responsibility.  If you work through the day and are not at home with them, make sure you have a plan that includes some exercise for your pet and provides it with some company.

Vet bills can be devastating to the household accounts!  Just know ahead of time that especially as your pet ages, these bills will add up!  Sometimes it may involve some sacrifice on your part.  If you are not willing to do that, then maybe becoming a pet parent is not for you.

It's easy to go to a shelter and see all the cute little dogs and cats and get swept up in their cuteness, but be aware that if you take that animal for your own, you are responsible for it - and while love is a huge part of parenting, there are also the extra expenses along the way that have the potential to put a real cramp in your budget.

I love dogs!  The cuddles I get from my dog make every sacrifice I have to make well worth it for me.  When I get home and see that sweet face and that wagging tail welcoming me - I know I am loved! 

Casey has me wrapped around his little paw - can you tell??? 

Casey owns this house - he just lets us hang out with him.

*No copyright-protected material used.