Monday, August 18, 2008

Is This Why People Love Dogs?


Okay.
Here is my disclaimer.
And anyone who knows me can vouch for it:
I am not a dog person.

I was never a dog hater but I was one those . . .
that preferred cats.

There I said it.

Hate me if you have to.

I mean if Dogwood Girl (speaking of bonafide, crazy dog loving, dog kissing girls) isn't going to care that she might have pissed off her life long crush and all her friends from high school then I am not going to care for being known as not a dog lover.

Just to be clear, I am not a hater.

Just not all that passionate about dog.

I thought though if maybe I had a dog all my own I might get it. You know, why people are so crazy about dogs. Why they don't think they are stinky and annoying.
I mean I get the whole puppy is cute thing but then they get big and stinky and they have all this hair and they chew on your stuff and you can't take them every where so then you have to worry about what you are going to do with your dog. I mean. Dogs? Are a lot of work.

My kids though LOVE dogs. They go up to strangers wanting to pet their dog and they like to talk about dogs and say things like: "Mommy! I just saw my first real life Yorkie!" Or, "Mommy. Chihuahuas? Chihuahuas take tiny poopies. We should get one."

I mean it is look at this dog or aw, look how cute that dog is--when really, the dog is NOT cute at all. But my kids are totally gaga for all dogs.

So I consented to a dog but it had to be a dog of my choice. Crazy as it sounds I like big dogs. I just don't see the point of a little dog. I mean if you are going to get something that size you should get a cat. But alas, I am very allergic to cats. Ask Fishstick's cat:

That picture is what happens to my eyes after I touch the cute kitties.

My choice in a dog was a Husky. Huskies are not for everyone but first and foremost the are pretty. I know. That just makes you hate me even a little more. I don't like ugly dogs. Whatever. Go join PETA.

So, I had to have a pretty dog. I mean if you are on the fence about dogs anyway looks really do count. Second I wanted a dog that could run with me and could run far. Third I had to have a dog I am not allergic to. I seem to be allergic to Goldens, Labs, Chows, and Sharpei's. But for some reason I know Huskies and Malamutes don't bother me. Which is totally bizarre considering the amount of hair they shed but my parents had both a Husky and a Malamute and I never had issue with them.

So we have Lola!

I do love Lola. She has come so far and as Huskies go she is an awesome dog.

But she is A LOT of work. A LOT.

She does make the kids happy and she is good and she is a great running partner but I still don't get the whole dogs make you all melty inside thing.

Until today. I think the experience was akin to when the Grinch's heart grew--or was it melted--whatever, you get the point. I, moi, was almost at the dog melting point.

Wow. Are you still with me?

Okay, so this morning the kids were downstairs eating their breakfast and Lola was barking. Huskies don't usually bark. They chatter, whine, howl and yelp but bark isn't something they really do. So when Lola barks something is up.

I yelled down to the kids to leave the poor dog alone and eat their breakfast. Kids claimed innocence but were still cackling away as if they were up to no good and Lola was still barking like there was an intruder.

So I yelled again. At Beau. As he is usually the Lola instigator. He and the dog have a very special relationship.

I come downstairs to see what all the barking is about and apparently Lola is totally freaked out by Beau's homework. I bet she wanted to eat it.
What homework?

This homework:

Beau had to decorate a little Beau for his kindergarten class. It has a photo collage all over it.

So of course he had a bit of fun with Lola.
I mean this was like bad kitty boy Thor (may his bad kitty soul rest in peace) and his irrational fear of the blue coat hanger. I mean how could you not chase her around the living room with the Beau doll?
No animals were harmed in the making of this blog post.

Look, here she is. She is laughing:

6 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  2. While I love the post, I WILL correct you on the point your are missing.

    People love dogs because their love is unconditional. Since we know you drag that dog out on your runs, in the south, in the heat... Anyway, we KNOW that Lola loves you unconditionally.

    Otherwise, she would have buried your Brooks by now, or bitten your face off!

    (& I didn't know about Thor. Did I "skim" a post or something?)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Blah Blah unconditional love. Whatever. Lola loves me because I feed her and keep her in the nice cool air-conditioned house and because I take her running. She totally would not love me if I didn't do those things.

    Huskies are different than other dogs. I don't think they are capable of unconditional love. Too suspicious but they do like everyone and like to have lots of fun. Huh, kinda , like. . . . me.

    Also, for the record, I do not take her running when it is over 75 degrees. And if it is over 65 I don't take her more than 6-7 miles. And I stop every 2 miles so she can get water. I only have her run 20 miles when it is below 50. Otherwise she is not happy.

    And no you didn't miss anything. And you better not be "skimming". I didn't do a morbid my kitty dies post. Lala was too traumatized. We had to let Kitty Boy Thor go in June. It was a downward spiral.

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  4. I am so sad about Kitty Boy Thor.

    BIG dogs are great because they are so fun to hug and you can hang all over them and they don't care. They just look at you like, "what are you doing? Give me a treat I won't care".

    I love the cats too though - Little Boy and P-Tunsis felt bad about your extra large eye.

    I am such a Libra.

    Love ya!
    Stick

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  5. I WANT TO SAY WHO GIVES A RATS ASS
    ABOUT YOU AND YOUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH DOGS, BUT THEN THERE WAS BEAU !!!
    SO ALL THE SUFFERING ONE HAD TO READ THROUGH TO GET TO HIM WAS WORTH IT.

    HE IS SO CUTE!!!!

    Argus the Anonymous'

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  6. I LOVE LOVE LOVE dogs, despite the fact that they do stink and eat shit and ruin countless pairs of shoes, bras, Ipod earphones, cell phone chargers, Garmin charger, bed frames, I could go on FOREVER! But no one could possibly get as excited to see me everyday than my dogs! They love me SO much no matter what and that is a great feeling! Cats are a bore.

    ReplyDelete