01 May, 2010
26 reasons why owning a puppy is the same as raising a toddler
Posted by andrea tomkins in: dog stuff
Piper is just over four months old now. I’ll tell ya, it’s been one huge déjà vu. Having a puppy is exactly like having a toddler in the house again. They both:
- 1 … demand your attention.
- 2 … eat and poop a lot (the where and when of which can be quite unpredictable at first).
- 3 … are cute.
- 4 … inspire conversations from random strangers. Ownership is an open invitation for unsolicited advice and feedback, whether it is welcome or not. It can be a whole new world of judgement on your parenting skills! e.g. Collar v. harness? Pacifier v. thumbsucking? Co-sleeping.
- 5 … are very fun to shop for. Snacks! Gender-specific fashions! Tiny beds! Squeaky rubber toys!
- 6 … have toys which have the potential to take over the living room.
- 7 … look adorable in sweaters.
- 8 … are unlawfully photogenic and make your heart melt.
- 9 … don’t need expensive things to keep them amused. Ice cubes, toilet paper tubes, cardboard boxes provide hours of entertainment.
- 10 … have small teeth that fall out.
- 11 … chew things. And many times they are chewing Those Very Things You Don’t Want Them To Be Chewing.
- 12 … slobber.
- 13 … sometimes need to be put behind “bars” for their safety while you make dinner.
- 14 … won’t let you brush them if they don’t want to be brushed.
- 15 … give you a nip every once in awhile.
- 16 … test their boundaries.
- 17 … misbehave.
- 18 … need to learn how to play with nicely others (otherwise you’ll be breaking up fights at the park forever).
- 19 … need to nap.
- 20 … need to learn to communicate. And a major part of our communication with them has to do with cajoling or consoling: “Don’t do that.” “Eat your dinner.” “Give that to me.” “Come here.” “Did that big dog scare you?”
- 21 … may be afraid of the vacuum cleaner.
- 22 … won’t take their medicine (the taste of which needs always needs to be disguised as something else i.e. bacon or bubblegum flavour).
- 23 … have selective hearing. Take, for example, the word “cookie” and the response that comes with it when you’ve whispered it to your spouse in the basement.
- 24 … need to be housebroken. (“Housebreaking” and “potty training” are essentially the same thing, aren’t they?”)
- 25 … can be very vocal, whether it fits the situation or not.
- 26 … love their parents and look to them for guidance.
(Got any to add?)
