This was so much easier with one dog.
James has been in Orlando this week for the Out and Equal conference. He’s heard from some incredible speakers – like Laverne Cox – and sat in on some great sessions. He and other attendees were also treated to Disney World leaving the park open one night from 9 to midnight, just for them. Doesn’t sound too bad.
I, however, have been at home playing single parent to two dogs, something neither of us has experienced in a long time. And certainly not with a 10-month-old that I’m seriously considering nicknaming “The Shredder.”
I am so looking forward to him coming home. As it turns out, I’m not cut out to be a single parent.
Our last dogs – Luna and Boo – were five when we adopted them, so we were able to avoid a double dose of puppy fun. Walking them wasn’t even a challenge. By then, they moved as slowly as we did. And we didn’t have any issues adopting Snickers when he was a year old, except for what our dog sitter referred to as “spite peeing” – something he grew out of the longer we had him.
Consequently, I wasn’t prepared for wrangling two dogs, and I don’t know how my friends with actual kids manage.
I do feel like I am sharing some similar experiences though. Like that moment when you realize the house is too quiet, and you have no idea where they are or what they could be doing. Sometimes that’s okay. And sometimes that’s when I find that I’ve left the toilet paper on the holder, and The Shredder has had a field day in our bathroom.
Or seeing her, not long after we brought her home, trotting into the living room with a bathmat. Like it was just another chew toy. I haven’t had the pleasure, though, of showering and watching through the glass as she picked up the mat in front of the shower and walked out. James grew extra concerned that morning when she walked back in and started jumping at his towel.
I’ve also found myself wondering what they were getting up to or in to while I’m at work. Since James works from home, he can keep an eye on them for most of the day, even while on calls. However, I found myself at the office trying to estimate how long I could be gone before disaster ensued. As it turned out, nothing to worry about there, even on the day I spent measuring a client’s home.
I am ready to have someone accompany me on walks again. While Snickers is pretty good about not tugging at his leash – unless there’s a cat or a person – I cannot say the same for Lucy. More than once I’ve found myself leaning back while she hops forward, eager to go as fast as she can. We hoped to temper some of this with a dual-lead leash – at least they can’t go in opposite directions. However, a combined 100 pounds of Basset Hound trying to cross the street to say hi to another dog is enough to almost pull me off my feet.
But James comes home today, so I can relax a bit. Or at least know there’s more than one of us to keep track of The Shredder.
