Bless the Beasts and Children
I've mentioned our dog, Brewzer. Our 80-90 lb. toddler. Remember the movie "Honey, I Blew Up the Baby"? We kind of have that situation with the dog. They need to have a "Biggest Loser" series on Animal Planet. He's a prime contestant. Maybe Anna Nicole can hook him up with some Trimspa. A friend of ours who has always had dogs swears Brewzer has a thyroid problem, but the vet says no. The vet keeps telling us he needs to lose weight, but no matter what we do, the weight doesn't come off. Maybe he's just big boned. That excuse works for a lot of people.
I had never owned a dog in my life and neither had my husband. I've also always been a little scared of them. Especially big dogs. Vito had roommates in his single days who had dogs so he had a slight advantage. He still considered them a pain in the butt. And to listen to him today, he still does. No matter that when he comes home in the evening the first one he greets and talks to is the dog. And the dog is all over him. He absolutely loves him. Clarification: the dog loves Vito. Husband says it's a dog's natural instinct to favor the leader of the pack.. I think that's a bunch of bull. (Even though Brewzer only truly listens to Vito) And though he will deny it to his dying day, Vito loves the dog.
Girly was only 8 when Brewz joined the household. They have grown up together. When she was younger she climbed on him, layed on him, dressed him up, etc. He just took it. When he was a little puppy he spent many a time laying across her lap (and mine)... The problem is that by the time he was 6 months he wasn't fittin' in anyone's lap.
Brewzer has been with us since he was 10 weeks old. He is supposed to be Son's dog. Son and his girlfriend of 4 years. In fact, there was 2 year period when Brewzer, Son and Girlfriend had their own digs. During this period, we kind of had joint custody... Brewz came and spent many weekends at our house and I think he never lost his sense of home there. When Son and Girlfriend decided that each would move back to their parental units in order to save some cash, both Son and dog came back home. I was glad to have the dog... Son was another story, but that's a different blog.
The timing for the dog to move back home was perfect for me from an maternal and emotional perspective. Girly was getting into the preteens and didn't need or want a mommy anymore. I grieved for my lost mommydom. When Son started that phase I had a new baby to replace those mommy needs. This time nothing...Serious nurturing mommy withdrawal.... I started to consider what my options were....God forbid, not another pregnancy...That's physically impossible at this point (hysterectomy in 97) but even at that I'm plenty smart enough to know the older you are the harder it is on your old body. Different options crossed my mind. Foreign adoption of an older child, somewhere between 3 and 8. I considered foster parenting. When I seriously brought these thoughts up to Vito, he began the paperwork process of having me committed. (Not really, but the look on his face was priceless)... I told him of my feelings and how I was missing having that mommy kind of feeling. I finally said, "Look, I'm very serious..I either want to explore to see if we should consider adoption or foster parenting. Or I want to get another dog. "
His response was pretty simple " Well, lucky for me, (meaning himself) I don't have a hankerin' for either one. "
Next thing I know Son is asking if he and Brewzer can come back home. Of course, we couldn't say no. So they bounded back to the homestead. I've come to realize that our big lugnut dog fills my mommy needs. And the bonus is that it doesn't come with the whole parenting package!!!!
I'll bet money that someone out there, (if anyone is even reading) will get on their high horse and chastise me for comparing motherdom to dog mommydom. That's all right. It's just my personal nurturing need that wasn't getting fulfilled. Having a loving and lovable dog who follows me all over the house fills that need.
Recently, Son and Girlfriend have found a house that they want to buy. (Yippee!!!) I pretty much told him not to let the door hit him on the way out.. Not that he's all that much trouble, but after not living at home for two years, it has been a big adjustment for all of us. With Vito, Girly and me, we had 3 functional floors in our house and three functional people. Pretty proportional, huh? But then I told Son there was no way he is taking the dog. We went round and round and sure 'nough they are taking the dog back with them. I am panicky. So is Vito and Girly. What will we do?
So I hit up the Rescue Organizations. I found a dog. He is a 3 year old Shar Pei. He's so ugly he's cute. He's not wrinkley all over...mostly on his face. We met him at the organization's adoptathon. Girly and I were smitten. Tried to get Vito to take a gander at him, but he's in doggy denial. I don't know anything about Shar Pei s except what I've found on the internet. This particular dog is very well behaved (not a barky dog), already fixed, crate trained, very affectionate and most of all, very babyish. He's not as big as a boxer, shorter and stockier.
My natural state of cynicism is scared doggy baby is too good to be true. So I'm asking for some feedback. Does anyone have experience with this breed? I'd hate to think his persona is all a farce and as soon as he has us in his clutches he'll turn into Cujo. Any personal knowledge or experience would be extremely appreciated.
I've mentioned our dog, Brewzer. Our 80-90 lb. toddler. Remember the movie "Honey, I Blew Up the Baby"? We kind of have that situation with the dog. They need to have a "Biggest Loser" series on Animal Planet. He's a prime contestant. Maybe Anna Nicole can hook him up with some Trimspa. A friend of ours who has always had dogs swears Brewzer has a thyroid problem, but the vet says no. The vet keeps telling us he needs to lose weight, but no matter what we do, the weight doesn't come off. Maybe he's just big boned. That excuse works for a lot of people.
I had never owned a dog in my life and neither had my husband. I've also always been a little scared of them. Especially big dogs. Vito had roommates in his single days who had dogs so he had a slight advantage. He still considered them a pain in the butt. And to listen to him today, he still does. No matter that when he comes home in the evening the first one he greets and talks to is the dog. And the dog is all over him. He absolutely loves him. Clarification: the dog loves Vito. Husband says it's a dog's natural instinct to favor the leader of the pack.. I think that's a bunch of bull. (Even though Brewzer only truly listens to Vito) And though he will deny it to his dying day, Vito loves the dog.
Girly was only 8 when Brewz joined the household. They have grown up together. When she was younger she climbed on him, layed on him, dressed him up, etc. He just took it. When he was a little puppy he spent many a time laying across her lap (and mine)... The problem is that by the time he was 6 months he wasn't fittin' in anyone's lap.
Brewzer has been with us since he was 10 weeks old. He is supposed to be Son's dog. Son and his girlfriend of 4 years. In fact, there was 2 year period when Brewzer, Son and Girlfriend had their own digs. During this period, we kind of had joint custody... Brewz came and spent many weekends at our house and I think he never lost his sense of home there. When Son and Girlfriend decided that each would move back to their parental units in order to save some cash, both Son and dog came back home. I was glad to have the dog... Son was another story, but that's a different blog.
The timing for the dog to move back home was perfect for me from an maternal and emotional perspective. Girly was getting into the preteens and didn't need or want a mommy anymore. I grieved for my lost mommydom. When Son started that phase I had a new baby to replace those mommy needs. This time nothing...Serious nurturing mommy withdrawal.... I started to consider what my options were....God forbid, not another pregnancy...That's physically impossible at this point (hysterectomy in 97) but even at that I'm plenty smart enough to know the older you are the harder it is on your old body. Different options crossed my mind. Foreign adoption of an older child, somewhere between 3 and 8. I considered foster parenting. When I seriously brought these thoughts up to Vito, he began the paperwork process of having me committed. (Not really, but the look on his face was priceless)... I told him of my feelings and how I was missing having that mommy kind of feeling. I finally said, "Look, I'm very serious..I either want to explore to see if we should consider adoption or foster parenting. Or I want to get another dog. "
His response was pretty simple " Well, lucky for me, (meaning himself) I don't have a hankerin' for either one. "
Next thing I know Son is asking if he and Brewzer can come back home. Of course, we couldn't say no. So they bounded back to the homestead. I've come to realize that our big lugnut dog fills my mommy needs. And the bonus is that it doesn't come with the whole parenting package!!!!
I'll bet money that someone out there, (if anyone is even reading) will get on their high horse and chastise me for comparing motherdom to dog mommydom. That's all right. It's just my personal nurturing need that wasn't getting fulfilled. Having a loving and lovable dog who follows me all over the house fills that need.
Recently, Son and Girlfriend have found a house that they want to buy. (Yippee!!!) I pretty much told him not to let the door hit him on the way out.. Not that he's all that much trouble, but after not living at home for two years, it has been a big adjustment for all of us. With Vito, Girly and me, we had 3 functional floors in our house and three functional people. Pretty proportional, huh? But then I told Son there was no way he is taking the dog. We went round and round and sure 'nough they are taking the dog back with them. I am panicky. So is Vito and Girly. What will we do?
So I hit up the Rescue Organizations. I found a dog. He is a 3 year old Shar Pei. He's so ugly he's cute. He's not wrinkley all over...mostly on his face. We met him at the organization's adoptathon. Girly and I were smitten. Tried to get Vito to take a gander at him, but he's in doggy denial. I don't know anything about Shar Pei s except what I've found on the internet. This particular dog is very well behaved (not a barky dog), already fixed, crate trained, very affectionate and most of all, very babyish. He's not as big as a boxer, shorter and stockier.
My natural state of cynicism is scared doggy baby is too good to be true. So I'm asking for some feedback. Does anyone have experience with this breed? I'd hate to think his persona is all a farce and as soon as he has us in his clutches he'll turn into Cujo. Any personal knowledge or experience would be extremely appreciated.
posted by Teri at 9:58 AM
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