I have had a dog named Tulip for about 3 weeks. She lives in my house with me. I have been learning how to enjoy her and be relaxed as she moves around the house and does what she does... I can't help feeling most of the time that there is an alien in my space. It's like I see a mouse 10x a day when I am surprised to see her furry face scooting by. Aaagh! Oh wait, that's my dog.
Mike is the ultra-committed dog dad. He walks her a couple miles every morning. He takes her to work in the truck. He loves her and feeds her and walks her some more. He takes her to dog school, the off-leash park, and to get her shots. I help with the evening walk about half the time. He trains her and trains her and trains her. She comes when called, sits, stays, lays down, shakes, goes to her bed, goes in the crate. This works best when her dinner comes to her by doing these commands. Yes, she is hand fed. They say making a dog work for their food is really good for their sense of self and more natural to their nature and evolution.
I do like the dog. She's got a fun personality, is very sweet, and calmly behaves about 85% of the time. She is actually a behavior miracle considering that she came to us after running loose on the Lummi reservation and having a litter of pups on her own. I am getting used to the responsibility - very slowly. Having a critter that is just getting used to the rhythm of things is hard. She can't be left alone yet. She can't be alone in the house yet - even at night. She hates being alone - I think she still gets worried that we aren't coming back. She can't sit in her crate all day either, so that means we are on duty - all the time. I can now see how the constant presence of a mammal that you care for is so exhausting. Sometimes, you just need a minute to yourself - without the feeling that someone needs your watchful eye or attention. Having a baby would be different - they don't run around and chew things right out of the gates, but they do cry in the middle of the night and you can't leave them in the car for an hour or two.
Having your life to yourself, or sharing it with another adult is so much easier. Freedom! But I suspect that there must be something to this caretaker thing that is valuable - or no one would have dogs or children, right? Time will tell.
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| My dog Tulip. |
