its a good thing i love my dogs....

“Owning a dog is slightly less expensive than being addicted to crack.” 
― Jen Lancaster

Ok, i love my dogs.  maybe not in the obsessive way my sister or my niece do, but i do.  really.  and i think for the most part, i'm a pretty good dog parent.  except, like my kids, my dogs are quirky and have their own unique way of letting us know that they need attention.

we are busy.  we've always been busy.  its why we dont have ONE dog.  we have 3.  we want them to have friends and keep each other company when we arent around.  somehow, somewhere that makes sense.  or maybe its just that we have 3 kids and at various times have succumbed to each of them wanting a puppy.  it could go either way.  but we all love them, and generally spoil them.  and it literally CRACKS me up that they are so CRAZY!

why am i writing about them?  because after 18 years, 3 kids, 4 dogs and a cat later, i think we have finally met our match - and that's saying something for kb.  he LOVES our dogs.  HE is the sucker that gets out of bed at 2am to let them out.  HE is the one that moves out of the way so all 3 of them can sleep with us.  and when cooper ate my shoes, he thought it was annoying, but didnt really mind - because, hey, MY shoes.  when lila went thru her HOWLING phase and was peeing everywhere, he was fine.  again, annoying but no big deal.  and when bruno started eating MY underwear (yes, underwear), he LAUGHED.  and then lectured me about picking up my clothes.  but guess what?  bruno - being the momma's puppy that he is, has decided to seek some revenge on my behalf.  and is now going out of his way  to eat KB's boxers.  like ALL of them.  i'm really not even exaggerating.  its RIDICULOUS.  he is getting them out of his gym bag, climbing up and lifting the lid on the laundry basket .... HUNTING them out!!  i cant even believe it.  i seriously WISH for one minute i understood what dogs were thinking.  when i went back to work full time, cooper was still pretty young.  and he literally ATE my shoes - but ONLY my work shoes.  not my shitty slippers, or hang out shoes - my NICE heels.  i actually had to start HIDING them.  which is so not easy for me.....because for any of you that have been to my house you know that i just kick my shoes anywhere!  but i learned my lesson and coop definitely won that round.  and i made more of an effort to be home....AND he stopped eating my shoes!!!

“The capacity for love that makes dogs such rewarding companions has a flip-side: They find it difficult to cope without us. Since we humans programmed this vulnerability, it's our responsibility to ensure that our dogs do not suffer as a result.” 
― John Bradshaw

so now here we are, with bruno the underwear eating puppy.  really in the last month, he has probaby run thru 20 pairs of underwear, 2 pairs of running tights and my favorite jeans.  and out of nowhere.  yes, he's still a puppy, but he's not new.  he's trying to make a point.  and it just might end up being my husbands breaking point!!  you know how i know bruno knows this?  cuz this is where he is sitting as i type.  he is in FULL on, avoiding daddy mode.  like IM not irritated over my jeans still!!  which im not.  i'm completely philosophical about it.  NOW.  because i am sure he's trying to tell me something.  well, now he's actually trying to tell kris :)

have i mentioned we are busy?  i find it just SLIGHTLY ironic that as soon as lax season started and kris stopped coming home after work, HIS UNDERWEAR started falling victim.....and the week i stopped working and was home more, MINE DIDNT!!  how freakin smart are dogs???  or it could all just be one big giant cosmic coincidence and i started moving my clothes....but i'm choosing to believe that bruno the wonder puppy is trying to teach us a lesson.  of the "be more present" variety.

clearly my pups dont suffer for attention.  but i guess, like a lot of people, they dont like changes to their routine.  and since they cant really BITCH about it (like i can), they EAT things to show their displeasure.  which is pretty smart.  and pretty entertaining -as long as its not your stuff.  now that bru has moved on from my things (mostly), i find it quite a bit funnier.  on the other hand, i'm the one that has to shop to replace whatever gets eaten, so at the end of the day, bruno is still working me over!!

there isnt a big giant point to this little story, except that i really do wonder if i hadn't quit my job, would bruno still be picking on me??  not that the dog eating my stuff had anything at all to do with my decision.  its just been a happy little side benefit.  and maybe a teeny tiny miniscule affirmation that yes, it was the right call :)  i'll take any positive reinforcement i can get at this point!!  even if its coming from my puppy.

so here is to finding the humor in every situation.  embracing the craziness.  and to spending more time at home......go bruno :)