Doog

I wasn’t sure what was storming within me as I watched all the dogs play in Door County. My sister brought along her puppy, and I watched my boys interact with the puppy and the other dogs. This was nothing new. All my siblings have dogs. The boys have often played with them to varying degrees of success. But this time was different.

This time, my mind started running.

The oldest isn’t allergic to these dogs. They lick him and he’s fine. He pets them and he doesn’t sneeze.

My middle ran with the puppy and my sister worked with the boys on how to behave. They snuggled with the dogs in the cabin and offered to take the dog outside.

I watched the puppy leap into the dynamic bravely.

My boys asked for a dog a long time ago.

I was quick to say no. My oldest did have some allergy to dogs and my husband has never been interested. Which is to say, all the work would fall to me.

After cry-it-outs with three boys, potty training with three boys, and the simple responsibilities that involve continuing to raise three boys my answer was always no, no, no.

They stopped asking.

A year ago I brought up the idea of a dog to my husband.

Our youngest was three at the time and we were still heavily in pandemic world.

“We travel so much,” he said, “is that really how we want to spend our money and time?”

I spent a few more days contemplating. Then one of the boys got sick and likely potty training of the three year old took a dive.

Nope.

But this year feels different. In our new neighborhood the boys have found friends they play with for hours at a time. The three of them also play well together (most of the time) so when we returned from Door County I discovered I had time, actual time, to myself.

The house was getting clean. I was writing. Meals were cooked. Dishes washed. Strength training completed. Boys read to and taking on more household chores. My list was checked off and yet there was still time remaining.

I brought up the dog again. This time after my oldest suggested a snake.

Or…

It’s day two with our puppy.

Last night’s sleep was terrible and I felt like I was thrown back into cry-it-out years. We’ve experienced three accidents (one at 4:30 in the morning) and I am not averse to texting my siblings or flipping through my training manual as another unfamiliar experience enters our new world.

That time I had? Now has a puppy to fill it. It feels like this open space was meant for him.

And this cry-it-out doesn’t seem like it will last quite as long. We are crate training him. He sits in front of the door already before we let him in or let him out. He snuggles with all of us and politely flops down beside us when he is too tired to play but just wants to be near.

We have a dog. A doog the boys say. Embracing next…