Baby Cakes...puppies are awesome. We got our Old English Sheepdog after our loss....I needed a baby so badly, and oh my goodness...he really helped. He was such a sweeeeeet baby. He's amazing...the best dog in the world. Seriously....I think he's part human. A truly sentient being. We trained him as a service dog for my panic attacks...it has helped so much. I take him EVERYWHERE with me. Literally. Sometimes I try to venture out without him. Like...to a yoga class or something like that. And I can do it...but it is really hard. I have to avoid places where I might know someone who will want to talk to me if I've ventured out without him in the name of "I should be doing better, right??" . I know that sounds weird....I'm not really a recluse...but, without him, I just can't do the social thing very well. I cry. People say things like "How are YOU doing?" or "wow...your pregnant...again???" and all that I can do is feel my heart rate speed up, and the fear closes up my throat. I think of my son with his brain injury, bi polar and denial, I think of my twins...lost forever, I think of the fear I feel about losing another baby. My star baby. My rainbow. I think of my husband in a job he loves for the clients and hates for the boss who cuts corners to make a buck, I think of the fact that my parents are both clinically crazy and that I'm all alone...like an orphan, and I think of all the things I need to do...and can't. And...without my fluffy boy to run my fingers into his thick soothing hair...without him pressing up against me when he senses my stress levels spiking....I just lose it. I have to walk away and sob.
So yeah....if you get a really smart, sweet, good dog....it's amazing. AMAZING.
I do however have two sweet, stupid, naughty dogs too. They are sweet...and I love them dearly. But...they are NOT sentient beings. They are dogs. And they are literally a pain in my arse. No amount of effort over the past 10 years has made any difference for either of them. And...I do know a thing or two about training. The bassett is a nose with ears. He can not listen. It's not that he won't...it's that he CAN'T. He can not disobey his nose. Not for any reason. If he smells it...he's going to find it. And eat it. Even while I am yelling "NO!". He can open the fridge with his stubby little legs. He is surprisingly long for such a short dog...and he can reach to the center of our giant square table and consume an entire meal for 7 in 5 seconds. He also likes to mark my kids bedroom. Our pug is a sex addict. Yes...he was neutered. He doesn't seem to know that. He humps everything. Especially the bassett hound. Who is a boy. He pees everywhere. He gets on the table in 2 seconds flat. He will NOT come when called. He will only listen to his boy...my 14 year old. He marks anything the bassett has marked. He barks at every thing that walks past our house...as if he could defend our house from anything when he is a foot tall. He's pretty smart...he may even understand english...but, he chooses not to listen to a word I say.
My sweet Ferdiand? Oh wow....he's amazing. He learns a task in an hour and never forgets it. He is loyal. We can take him, off leash, anywhere, and he will listen without fail. We go to Blue Mountain, where lots of people take their dogs off leash. It's amazing how many dogs there are that are aggressive, barky, will chase wildlife, and who will not come when called whose owners think it's fine to have off leash. Ferdi likes to play, but will stop the instant I say "Leave it." He comes to a whistle. He stays by my side. He doesn't bark at people...though he tries to hurd our pug away from the fence when HE is barking, as if to say..."settle down little guy...you don't need to get all worked up."
My step mother has tea cup yorkies...they are super cute! They do pee everywhere...she's never been able to potty train them. I don't think that's a yorkie thing. There are great dogs of every breed. If you get one...make sure their parents are smart and sweet. I think that's why Ferdi is so great...he came from a great breeder whose dogs were amazing. Ferdi was an angel from the start. Truly. Not that I'm saying a mutt can't be a great dog! Don't get me wrong here....it's just that I knew what I needed. A smart, loving, "nana dog" who would take care of me and my family without aggression. I needed a dog that needed a lot of brushing, to curb my anxiety. I needed a dog that was special enough that people would focus on HIM and not me....and it works. When I have him with me, it deflects inquiries about ME to "Oh my god! He is so beautiful! Can I pet him?" And of course...he loves being pet, so I say "Sure!" And we talk about HIM. Not me. I can do that.
So yeah....if you get a really smart, sweet, good dog....it's amazing. AMAZING.
I do however have two sweet, stupid, naughty dogs too. They are sweet...and I love them dearly. But...they are NOT sentient beings. They are dogs. And they are literally a pain in my arse. No amount of effort over the past 10 years has made any difference for either of them. And...I do know a thing or two about training. The bassett is a nose with ears. He can not listen. It's not that he won't...it's that he CAN'T. He can not disobey his nose. Not for any reason. If he smells it...he's going to find it. And eat it. Even while I am yelling "NO!". He can open the fridge with his stubby little legs. He is surprisingly long for such a short dog...and he can reach to the center of our giant square table and consume an entire meal for 7 in 5 seconds. He also likes to mark my kids bedroom. Our pug is a sex addict. Yes...he was neutered. He doesn't seem to know that. He humps everything. Especially the bassett hound. Who is a boy. He pees everywhere. He gets on the table in 2 seconds flat. He will NOT come when called. He will only listen to his boy...my 14 year old. He marks anything the bassett has marked. He barks at every thing that walks past our house...as if he could defend our house from anything when he is a foot tall. He's pretty smart...he may even understand english...but, he chooses not to listen to a word I say.
My sweet Ferdiand? Oh wow....he's amazing. He learns a task in an hour and never forgets it. He is loyal. We can take him, off leash, anywhere, and he will listen without fail. We go to Blue Mountain, where lots of people take their dogs off leash. It's amazing how many dogs there are that are aggressive, barky, will chase wildlife, and who will not come when called whose owners think it's fine to have off leash. Ferdi likes to play, but will stop the instant I say "Leave it." He comes to a whistle. He stays by my side. He doesn't bark at people...though he tries to hurd our pug away from the fence when HE is barking, as if to say..."settle down little guy...you don't need to get all worked up."
My step mother has tea cup yorkies...they are super cute! They do pee everywhere...she's never been able to potty train them. I don't think that's a yorkie thing. There are great dogs of every breed. If you get one...make sure their parents are smart and sweet. I think that's why Ferdi is so great...he came from a great breeder whose dogs were amazing. Ferdi was an angel from the start. Truly. Not that I'm saying a mutt can't be a great dog! Don't get me wrong here....it's just that I knew what I needed. A smart, loving, "nana dog" who would take care of me and my family without aggression. I needed a dog that needed a lot of brushing, to curb my anxiety. I needed a dog that was special enough that people would focus on HIM and not me....and it works. When I have him with me, it deflects inquiries about ME to "Oh my god! He is so beautiful! Can I pet him?" And of course...he loves being pet, so I say "Sure!" And we talk about HIM. Not me. I can do that.
Follow Mothering