The kids have been begging for a dog for the longest time.
Like for 10 years. Especially #1 and #3.
I do want the kids to grow up with a dog. I really do.
But dogs are hard work, and they come with so much responsibility.
As if we weren’t busy enough trying to manage way too many kids to add pets into the fray.
I wasn’t going to be taken in by their cute little pleas promising to be responsible and all that, only to have them grow tired of the novelty of having a puppy and relegating the long term care of the dog to the helper.
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Our new puppy in our garden |
As a baby step, I did allow them to have terrapins and hamsters.
They were mildly responsible but finally gave them away to enthusiastic friends when they grew tired of looking after them.
A dog was a bigger consideration, and we would have to factor in time, space and money.
You see, my mum refused to let us have any pets when we were growing up because her dog died when she was young and she was adamant not to let us go through the same pain.
I had no contact with pets and became very afraid of them.
The thought of having a dog running around the house was unimaginable to me.
Yeah, lay the mummy guilt on me.
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I have to admit she’s an adorable pup |
He doesn’t growl at people, doesn’t bite nor bark, is toilet-trained, and does as he is told! He doesn’t bolt out of the gate nor wander up the stairs. He is such a sweetie and would come over to sit next to you.
Now that I have a much better impression of dogs, I was more open to the idea and gave the issue serious thought.
The kids are older and definitely more responsible than when they were little.
Besides, there are so many of them to share the work load of managing the dog.
We also have a much bigger space which can accommodate a dog, alongside the troop of kids.
I told them a pet is for life and even took them to SPCA to impress upon them the fate of dogs who get abandoned.
Coincidentally, the hub’s had a friend whose dog gave birth to 3 puppies and he was happy to give one to our kids.
The girls were simply elated!
Their dream had finally materialised.
The first few days, it was almost like we were welcoming a new baby.
The hubs was the pied piper and they were all fussing over the pup, watching her lap water from her bowl, taking her for her shower, teaching her to poo and pee at the right places.
Their friends came over after school to play with the puppy like how they did when Kate was small.
#3 said, “Mum, see, don’t you think you made an excellent decision this time? We are all down here instead of being cooped up in our rooms with our gadgets.”
Not to discourage and infact I love your blog, but did it occur to you will the mummy dog miss her puppy? I guess dogs are just like human, we will love our new born and wanted to nurse them. How will we feel if our baby was taken away days after born?
No hard feelings.
Hi,
You sound like you love dogs. So nice to see people standing up for the voiceless!
We got her when she was 2 months old. I don't know much about dogs, but the owners felt it was a suitable time to let the pups go.
In fact, the kids were so worried that she would miss her mother and sisters they volunteered to sleep in the living room next to her!
Is she a schnauzer? Hard to tell with black ones but she looks schnauzery 🙂
Very cute! What breed is she?
She's a terrier 🙂
Thanks! She's a scottish terrier
Oh. Nice dogs but can be very stubborn. Training should be fun 😉
Oh yes, her character is starting to show!