Cute vs. Care

So, my family told me that they're going to steal Gizmo from me because he's so cute.  I just laugh because I know they think he's cute, but they don't have the time and patience to take care of him.

My dog is super-high maintenance.  And it's not really that he's spoiled; it's more that there's a disconnect in communication between me and him.  He suffers from major anxiety when left at home by himself.  And I believe a lot of this stems from his upbringing.  When, he gets anxious, he pees in his kennel (and will sometimes poo).  This behavior stems from the fact that as a puppy, he lived in a box with the other pups and momma.  This box was their bed and toilet.  So, while normal dogs do not associate their toilet with their bed, my dog kind of learned that they're one and the same.  And let me tell you, it took a lot of untraining and retraining to teach Gizmo that the potty is outside and not inside.

So, when I am home, Gizmo is the perfect dog.  But when I leave, he's left in the kennel and falls back on his first instincts he learned as a puppy.  He deals with his loneliness by peeing.  And since I'm still trying to work on fixing this behavior of his, I still have to deal with the mess he leaves.  The mess I come home to probably once a week (it used to be everyday, sometimes twice a day).

So, when people tell me they want my dog, I just laugh.  Sure, he's super cute, but he requires a lot of responsibility.  And if you're not willing to take care of him, then you're not ready to have a dog.

And in my case, I don't think I'm ready to have a kid.  Sure, they're super cute, and I want one.  But I'm not ready to devote my life to someone else who has a million needs that must be met.

And so I will settle for my dog.  Sure, he's a crapster sometimes, but I'm willing to give the time to take care of him.  And most of the time, the rewards are far greater than the time I put into taking care of my dog.

I guess what I'm getting at is I'm not ready for kids.  Gizmo is my kid.  He's my high-maintenance kid.  And as crazy as people may think I am for saying that, I really don't care.  I'm happy calling my dog my kid; the kid I can put in a kennel and leave alone for a few hours, haha.