Ramblings of A Labradoodle Owner

Warning: Labradoodles are very addicting! After a few months of owning one, you notice signs of being a Doodleaholic. You are not of a right mind when you begin to think of owning two! By now, you have joined some dog club via internet and either do doodle romps, try to meet people with other doodles to play with your doodle and your teenage kids now tell you that you love your Labradoodle more than them. Or perhaps you stalk others when walking their dog going, “Honey, look there’s another Labradoodle. Come on, if we walk quicker we can catch up to them.” I do believe that is called stalking. Doesn’t matter, what matters is you alert for anyone else that has a doodle dog and share in the laughter and love they create.

Think about it, kids take how long to mature about 18 years or so, versus a dog taking maybe 2 or 3 years to mature. Maybe my kids are right when they say I love my doodles more than them.  I’ll have to think more on this one. Okay, I’m done, yes it was quick.

Kids do not pick clothes up off the floor where they drop them. Dogs pick up socks, shoes, shirts or anything they find on a floor. Kids leave dirty dishes in their rooms. To this day I wonder how many new forms of penicillin are yet to be discovered in a teenager’s bedroom. Dogs are great at cleaning dirty dishes.

Kids get driving permits. Parents and dogs suffer in the backseat tucking their heads down in order not to see the near misses with other cars.

Kids break curfews coming home late at night with you waiting up worrying to death and wanting to kill them the moment they walk in the door. Dogs bark letting you know when kids come home after curfew. I love when my teenagers are busted by a puppy.

Dogs don’t complain about their picture being taken or how it makes them look. Okay they may lick a lens but at least they are willing subjects.

Kids have fist fights and if one is a female then holds a grudge for weeks or possibly for months. Dogs can have a fight establishing who the boss is and that’s the end of it. Dogs do NOT hold grudges. Ever get mad at your dog? And how long before they are trying to give you kisses? Or just walk out of the room and walk back in a minute later only to see your dog wagging its tail happily to see you again. Teenagers are like women, they bring things up from the past— dogs don’t (perhaps that is why dogs are called Mans best friend).

Kids do not take their dishes off the table when done eating. My dog, Max, not only eats everything, licking his bowl clean, he also promptly brings his food bowl putting it on my lap after each meal.

Kids hate vacuuming. Or if they say, “Alright, I’ll do it”, then they proceed to suck up anything in sight except the dogs usually clogging the vacuum in the process. Dogs are better than vacuums finding each and every tidbit, gleefully using their tongues to lick up findings on the floor, don’t clog up and don’t break belts either.

Dogs do not ask for money, or to use your car, and don’t argue with you. Dogs can be crated for timeouts. Crate a kid and you are charged with child abuse.

Dogs can be taught to ring bells to go outside and don’t leave doors open, rather they can open doors. And if they jump on the door, guess what—they’ve just closed it for you. Teenagers need revolving doors especially when they have friends over leaving the door open during winter, each time heating the great outdoors.

Kids help create dust bunnies, dogs find them wearing them on their noses letting you when it’s time to dust again.

Teenagers do not answer the door when someone is knocking but dogs alert you to every person not only at your door but also every UPS and FedEx delivery in your neighborhood. Now I will admit I do love all 3 of my teenagers. But when dog chews a sock it can be thrown out and easily replaced. When your child puts a hole in plaster walls, breaks an antique crock, uses your wooden spoon to make wooden dowels for a project, eats a whole half gallon of ice cream you bought 24 hours ago, well there are days my priorities of human versus canine love, does get rearranged into a different order: dogs being at the top of the list with my teenagers following in order of what stress they have created for that particular week. I am just being honest and do not play favorites until my spare car is missing along with a teenager that didn’t ask first along with not calling home to check in.

There are a few similarities between kids and dogs. Like I said, there are just a FEW.

Both can and will waste toilet paper and paper towels. Messes made by teenagers are done by “Not me” whereas dogs usually conceal theirs digestively whenever possible.

Both can make you laugh, both need guidance. However, dogs mature much quicker and will do tasks repeatedly for a treat. Teenagers do things when they know you have threatened their life or take away car keys.

Kids are trained for years yet do the same things over and over again. Okay, how many times has anyone heard a parent saying, “How many times have I told you….asked you…” etc. Perhaps even your own parents stated the same to you at one time? Dogs can be trained and show results if consistent with them. Kids don’t do this till they have their own kids and/or own their own home.

So when asked by my teenagers if I love my doodle dogs more than them, there have been moments when  I do have a tough time answering as if I reflect long enough they may be right! I have been raising kids for 19 years now and they have yet to mature. According to statistics, dog books and owners the average dog is an adult when 3 years old. 

So YES there are days my doodles LOWER my blood pressure and my teenagers make it so high I could probably swing a big ole mallet and ring the bell at a carnival.

I LOVE my dogs, I LOVE peace and quiet; I LOVE how my dogs greet me whether I am gone 5 seconds, 5 minutes or 5 hours. I LOVE my teenagers but some days I do question if dogs are better for my health.

The contents of this blog site are copyright (c) 2007, Annmarie Sparks. All Rights Reserved         

    

 

 

 

This entry was posted on Friday, September 14th, 2007 at 5:08 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.