The joys of doggie daycare
I have my children, and then I have my furry children.
Now that the teenagers are looking after themselves tolerably
well, I fear the pets are taking over.
The joys of doggie daycare
I have my children, and then I have my furry children.
Now that the teenagers are looking after themselves tolerably well, I fear the pets are taking over.
I’m really trying not to be silly about the dog, but it seems to keep creeping in.
For instance, I take my dog to doggie daycare. Yes, I admit it. I feel slightly ridiculous about doing it, but it’s become a necessity.
Having a dog is like having a 3-year-old, but forever. If he could talk, he’d be saying, “Mom, look at me!” all day long.
Of course, he’s adorable. It’s hard not to look. Charley is a miniature schnauzer who is definitely on the mini side at 17 pounds – but what he lacks in bulk, he makes up for in personality and spirit. He is a character.
I don’t buy him glittery collars or costumes or much of the crazy stuff that other people buy their dogs these days, although he does have a sweatshirt (blue, and cute) and a leash with a flame pattern on it. Oh, I have been known to buy the occasional toy; and we now have a basket full, but I have limited myself to the one sweatshirt.
But the truth of the matter is that having a dog is like having a toddler. And even the best-behaved toddlers need a lot of attention.
The funny thing is, Charley is generally is a pretty easy-going dog – except when I sit down at the computer to write.
Then he’s looking at me, putting a paw on my leg, scratching at the door, whining, and bringing me his toys. And it’s only when I’m writing.
So that’s why I take my dog to doggie daycare once a week, so I can get a chunk of time to get some work done.
Of course, I justify this by telling myself Charley needs this. He needs to be with his pack. He’s socializing, right? At least, that’s what “The Dog Whisperer” says. Charley’s the only dog at our house, so I look at it as a way for him to get some valuable time with others of his kind.
The boys love him, but they’re teenagers, and they don’t play with animals for hours on end anymore. Maybe a few minutes before they’re on their way to meet their friends, but that’s all.
Charley does play with our cats, but let’s face it – they’re cats. And cats are not dogs. They can only take so much before they get annoyed with him and leap away to a convenient high spot, where they can look down in a gloating, superior sort of way. This is what cats like to do anyway. Whereas dogs, when they are friendly toward one another, will basically run around with each other as hard and fast and for as long as they can, until one or the other drops from sheer exhaustion.
So that’s the great thing about doggie daycare. Charley gets to run around like a maniac, have some dog time, and when I pick him up, he’s exhausted. And an exhausted dog is a good dog. He sleeps for about a day and a half afterward.
Which, as any parent of a dog will tell you, is a very good thing.
