I was adamantly against getting a dog<\/a>. As much as I thought dogs were awesome, the idea of taking on the level of responsibility for 10 or so years seemed like an alien concept that I wanted none of.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Of course, my four (now five) year old daughter did not know, nor did she care.<\/p>\n
She wanted a dog.<\/p>\n
For two years, she kept at us, subtly doing all that she could to prove that she would be a great pet owner. She walked and fed her stuffed golden retriever daily. She was so committed to her pet that she managed to convince my wife to throw a birthday party for her \u201cdog\u201d.<\/p>\n
But her stuffed animal wasn\u2019t enough. She wanted the real thing.<\/p>\n
We now went out of our way to see Goldens. We drove for miles on a fall afternoon to go to a benefit picnic for Golden Rescues. My daughter spent close to an hour petting and hugging dogs before we had to leave. We went to a Santa Claus parade to see a group of Therapy Dogs. Her eyes lit up more for those friendly canines than the man in the red suit a few minutes later.<\/p>\n
And suddenly my wife and I came to the realization that in 1 year, and not 10, we were going to get a dog. Through a friend, we connected with a breeder and were added to a waiting list. It all became very real.<\/p>\n
As the situation became more real and more imminent, we started to see all the possibilities. Beyond making my five-year-old incredibly happy, we could see the other benefits of adding a new member to the family. Our 10-year-old, who loves to read, would have some nice quiet company to sleep by her feet. Our 7-year-old, who battles with the occasional bouts of anxiety, would have someone positive and non-judgmental to focus on. My wife and I, who tend to spend a lot of time watching Netflix, would have a great excuse to get out and get some exercise on a regular basis.<\/p>\n
And amidst all the positives, is the work of taking on what will essentially be a newborn into the family. Removing choking hazards, moving items to higher shelves, putting up fences and stair guards, potty training, sleep training, baths, socialization and so on and so on.<\/p>\n
And what, in the name of dog, is an anal gland?<\/p>\n
Maybe it\u2019s not too late to talk my wife into having another kid instead.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s see what next year\u2019s post looks like.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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