Our "Practice" Child

Miss Marley Mae

There are those who joke about dogs as "practice children", but those who joke obviously have never owned a dog.

A young Marley Mae

Puppies are pretty fun, but they are also a lot of work.  You don't have to worry about them 24/7 like a human baby, but defiantly 20/7.  You've got to train puppies not to do their business inside, get them on a meal schedule and keep their little selves entertained when they aren't sleeping.  If not, you'll find yourself waking up in the middle of the night to a whimpering fluff ball who wants to play because they slept all day.  Of course, seeing as how it's a puppy, you'll probably wake up at midnight for some other reason anyway...  When we chose Miss Marley Mae from the other puppies at the Pound, we didn't really realize any of this.  I just really wanted the cute, fluffy puppy that I had been denied as a child.  I was in for much more than I bargained for.  My Mae girl is, what I've affectionately termed, a spazz.  She is extremely attuned to my moods in particular and to the general household's as well.  She is possessed of extreme amounts of energy and therefore very expressive.  If I am angry or upset, I get 85 lbs of fur and slobber in my face, ensuring that she's not the one I'm upset with.  Once she knows that she is in the clear, she goes bounding around the house; jumping on couches, knocking over lamps, and creating general havoc.  So of course, then she is in trouble and the process starts all over again.  I wouldn't trade my spazz for anything though, for she truly is the most affectionate and beautiful dog in existence!  Yeah, I'm a bit biased.

There is something about dogs that makes them the perfect candidate for learning how to care for another being.  Unlike cats, dogs need you; not just to care for them, they need you to be emotionally invested in them.  Cats, birds, fish; they don't really need you the way a dog does.  You can leave those guys alone all day, and they're fine (parrots excluded).  But you leave a dog alone and that poor pup will be the saddest creature on earth.  If you forget to feed a dog on time they let you know, unquestionably, that they are hungry!  Dogs need to be exercised, washed, and played with.  A lot like children.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that canines are on par with people, nothing like that.  But the similarities between a puppy and a child are many. 

They are startled easily.

Unsure about the old snowman.

They get into messes.

Pond fun.

They play with things they aren't supposed to.

Playing soccer, no paws!

They need to sleep with Mommy...

She's getting a bit too big to cuddle.

and play with Daddy.

Frisbee at the beach.

They like to be held when they're tired.

Too long of a walk.

 Yes, there is some merit to calling your first dog "a practice child."  I've learned a lot about what it means to be responsible for another living creature.  One thing my Mae has taught me is that I am in no way ready for a baby of my own!  We can wait a few years before jumping that hurdle!

Oh and P.S.

We have adopted another pup.  His name is Razo and he brings a whole new meaning to the word "spazz."  He hides when he hears anything from thunder to birds chirping.