Being a Dog Owner

So my dear, sweet pup, Kito, woke up at 4 AM this morning. I usually love him to death, but I was ready to kill him when he wouldn't go back to sleep and only wanted to go for a walk. I don't have children, but I can imagine how difficult it will be solely based on my experiences as a dog owner. Does he really need to go for a walk or is he just awake? Should I force him into his crate or let him roam around? Factor in that my roommate is sleeping in the next room and that Kito always barks when he is put in his crate, and I decide on the "attack him with petting" approach. J.Stone discovered this technique while petsitting for me. Here's the strategy:

1. Let Kito sit wherever he wants to sit or lay. If it's inconvenient for you, too bad.
2. Pet him continously, focusing especially on the belly and behind the ears.
3. Continue for as long as needed, until he is completely asleep.
4. Carefully creep away, making sure not to disturb him.
Warning: Stopping early could result in the dog waking up again and refusing to go back to sleep. Do not stop the pet fest prematurely.

So what does this have to do with anything? Well, I will save my musings on "why having pets is good for your soul" for another post. Instead, here's a piece by Taylor Mali entitled "Falling in Love is like Owning a Dog."

First of all, it's a big responsibility,
especially in a city like New York.
So think long and hard before deciding on love.
On the other hand, love gives you a sense of security:
when you're walking down the street late at night
and you have a leash on love
ain't no one going to mess with you.
Because crooks and muggers think love is unpredictable.
Who knows what love could do in its own defense?

On cold winter nights, love is warm.
It lies between you and lives and breaths
and makes funny noises.
Love wakes you up all hours of the night with its needs.
It needs to be fed so it will grow and stay healthy.

Love doesn't like being left alone for long.
But come home and love is always happy to see you.
It may break a few things accidentally in its passion for life,
but you can never be mad at love for long.

Is love good all the time? No! No!
Love can be bad. Bad, love, bad! Very bad love.

Love makes messes.
Love leaves you little surprises here and there.
Love needs lots of cleaning up after.
Somethimes you just want to get love fixed.
Sometimes you want to roll up a piece of newspaper
and swat love on the nose,
not so much to cause pain,
just to let love know Don't you ever do that again!

Sometimes love just wants to go for a nice long walk.
Because love loves exercise.
It runs you around the block and leaves you panting.
It pulls you in several different directions at once,
or winds around and around you
until you're all wound up and can't move.

But love makes you meet people wherever you go.
People who have nothing in common but love
stop and talk to each other on the street.

Throw things away and love will bring them back,
again, and again, and again.
But most of all, love needs love, lots of it.
And in return, love loves you and never stops.


Ain't that the truth. More later on falling in love and the joys of pet ownership.