I Used to Be a Dog Person

I'm not sure anyone else has gone/is going through this, but I am finding I have a love/loathe relationship with our family dog Wesson. I've compiled a list to get some of this off my chest maybe re-gain my "dog person" status.

#1. LOVE: Wesson makes me exercise. Studies have shown exercise has many positive benefits. Some include: heart disease prevention, muscle building/toning, and weight management. People who exercise also often find they are happier due to endorphins. For these I am most grateful. I have also found dog walking is a ministry tool, as most of the neighbors I meet as a result of a dog walking encounter.

#1. LOATHE: Wesson makes me exercise. Sometimes I just don't feel like walking or running our neighborhood for 30 plus minutes. The time and energy it takes to load Julianne into the proper clothing, put her in in the stroller with a snack then harness up the dog, is at times a daunting task in itself. Not to mention, it is not always nice outside! If the weather is questionable, the pack and load time increases substantially. Why not just skip the walk? Our dog has ENERGY people. Google "English Pointer" after you're done reading this and you'll discover pointers are built to run all day chasing birds and such. If we don't go he is bouncing off the walls all over the house taking out all in his path. In other words, HE DRIVES ME CRAZY! In my naiveté, I thought this was the perfect dog for marathon runners like Andrew and I. Fast forward 2 years: Andrew has all together given up the sport, we have a child, and I am struggling to meet Wesson's need for speed.

#2. LOVE: I vacuum everyday. Having a freshly vacuumed space is very warm and inviting. It looks nice when your carpet has those lines in the floor. I also would bet my carpet and floor tiles lack many of those microscopic organisms I learned about in Biology. Though my floors would not appear to be the cleanest, I'd bet germ-wise they are quite pristine. This chore is also a good way to exercise and burn some extra calories (see above for those benefits).

#2. LOATHE: I vacuum everyday. OK if I am honest, it is 5 times a week or so, but still I do this activity A LOT! Most of the time Julianne is on one hip too since I am trying to remove hair from wherever she is at any given time. This task is an endless losing battle. I could vacuum all day long and 10 minutes later, pick up my baby covered in tiny white hairs. He sheds CONSTANTLY. I had no idea this breed would be such a mess, but unfortunately I was wrong. AND IT'S NOT JUST HAIR. Anytime there is any sort of precipitation, Wesson comes in with muddy paws. Despite my best efforts to remove the mud clots, I inevitably miss some, and end up with brown paw prints all over the house. The dirt clots then dry into small pebble like choking hazards our daughter makes every effort to find and swallow. All this to say, floor cleaning occupies more of my time and energy than I'd like most days.

#3. LOVE: Wesson accompanies Julianne at mealtimes. This is very helpful in the cleanup department. She drops food here and there and he is quick to make it disappear. This saves me some time at the end of our eating experience and I appreciate that.



#3. LOATHE: Wesson accompanies Julianne at mealtimes. We have found this to be problematic for a couple of reasons. The first being her desire to feed Wesson. If I am not watching her take every bite, I will soon see she is handing Wesson a bite of her food. Sometimes he will lick on it some then she will decide she indeed would like that bite and eats it! Gross.... Secondly, she purposely throws food for him, for which we have had to end meals prematurely to avoid. No fun for any of us.

#4: LOVE: Wesson and Julianne are best buds. This is probably the only reason he is still around. That, and I have issues with giving up a dog I made a commitment to give a good life. I signed my name on the doggie adoption paper so I am in. Seriously though, they love each other. She will crawl over to him and give him kisses which he happily returns. She points and waves at him all day and he is very patient with her. Wesson could care less when Julianne gouges out his eyeballs or bites his ears. He lets her pull his tongue and toenails. They have a bond.

I'm not sure this post has converted me back to a "dog person" but it has made me feel better. Maybe slowly Wesson will grow back on me. Perhaps when all our kids are born and grown and they can take over some of the chores. Until then, I will try to keep in mind the reasons I love Wesson.

Nathalie