Dogs and Toddlers

No, I don't currently have a toddler. Well not in the official meaning of the word, but I have been referring to my dog as a toddler for the past 8 months or so and it seems fairly fitting. Today would, of course, be no different. As all toddlers do, all he wants is constant attention and if not he pouts. Just in the 5 minutes of writing this Blog he has managed to stand on my foot twice, tried to jump on my lap once and brought me his sock 6 times to play with. He seems to think that if he is not my sole focus of attention then there must be something wrong. When he does manage to finally get seated on my lap; he spins 6 times in various directions like my lap will all of a sudden change into a big pillow, then wiggles his bum into whatever spot (even if he won't fit) that he has decided was the best spot, then of course rests his head either on my arm or directly on the key board. In which case I then move him off my lap and put him either on the floor or the bed, which ever is closest, where he proceeds to get comfortable, look totally pathetic and sigh forlornly under his breath for the next 2 minutes.

This isn't much different when we decide to go out. He either sits at his bed, ears back and sad puppy faced, until our shoes are on, or goes all excitedly into his kennel looking at us like we are obviously going to be taking him wherever it is that we are going. Once he realizes that he is not coming with us he then proceeds to the first option of looking all sad as we go out the door. Once out the door he goes to our front window and pokes his head through the curtains watching us leave. As if to say "why aren't you taking me with you? I'm not a bad puppy! See I'm Cute!".

The question of the dog toy is also very much a toddler. Over the year and a half that we have had him he has gone through MANY and I mean MANY dog toys. They tend to last on average 2 hours to 1 day, but very seldom much longer than that. But just as a toddler tends to be more interested in a box than a toy, our dog is more interested in a sock than a toy. And not just any sock will do! It has to be one of Beau's stinky work sock, they seem to be his favorite, and if not any man's sock that has already been worn at least once. No clean socks for our puppy, they just won't cut it! No the stinkier the better. Once he has this sock, however, now you have to play with it, with him. Which means you must not grab the stinky, and usually soggy being he's been chewing it for a bit, sock and proceed to either play tug of war with it or turn it into a ball so that he can chase it. If there is an option between a sock and ball usually the sock wins out. The only thing better than a sock is a stuff toy which doesn't tend to last more than 2 minutes before there are pieces of toy and stuffing strewn all over my house, which means I have to pick up before the little rat decides to eat it with his morning meal and then poops fuzz for the next week. And if you have a small dog that is not fun, usually mean his poop gets stuck in his but by a string and I think you can see where this is going.

No matter what, however, I love my toddler dog. His incessant suckyness and his crazy dog ways. Without my dog I would be much more depressed, more often. It's nice to be wanted and needed no matter what your hair looks like... and the smellier the better. LOL