Dog People
I have never really been a dog person. Sure, I like dogs. Heck I even love some of them but I have always considered myself more of a cat person. We don’t have to go into the science of it but my beliefs were only confirmed when we test drove a dog that was far from a smooth ride.
It was beginning to look like we would remain dog less until the day the right dog found us. The right dog. It sounds ridiculous, even to me who is now pretty much a smitten kitten over a cute and cuddly puppy. People kept affirming the when the right dog comes along there’s no looking back. I liken it to having babies. For some, like myself, there’s a deep desire to have a baby. For others, like my husband, there was some cajoling that had to be done. But then, alas, after the birth of our first daughter he was a goner. From the minute she slipped from my body and became her own girl, he was a father, through and through. Long gone. Lost in his daughter’s eyes. It is a love that will last through the ages.
Although I don’t subscribe to that kind of heightened magic when it comes to pets, there are some similarities. Take Junie for instance. Recently, while I was away for the weekend, a dog (ahem, the dog) found my husband. I could tell by the tone of his voice when he called with the news that it was a done deal. The dog had stolen his heart and I knew it. When I awoke to emailed photos of the pup in my inbox I smiled. This was it. We were now dog people.
I will admit, I didn’t think it would be such an easy transition to go from cat (who we lost after 18 years together) to dog. And I’m pretty sure ours is a rare case because Junie actually has a bit of a cat spirit about her. She sleeps a lot, curls up on the couch, likes to chase things like balls of string, she’s fickle and coy and only engages when she is so inclined. She’s very gentle (especially with the kids) and quiet. Nay a bark in the few weeks that we’ve had her.
And now, like it was ever a question, we are long gone and have become dog people. We are new parents to a canine kid and we are totally into it. We are careful to choose the right collar, we read the labels of dog food and limit treats. We speak of how long she naps and how often she poops. We carry her outside to ‘go potty’ and have given her warm and cozy blankies to sleep with. It’s hopeless. And it definitely feels right.
Original LA Moms blog post.
Tracey Clark muses on motherhood at Mother May I and her other favorite pastime, photography at Shutter Sisters.
