Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Confessions of a Bad Mother

Pondering the meaning of squirrels
Traits instantly recognizable when you meet my sweet puppy Issa:

1) He is a bon vivant.
2) He is a total scaredy cat. Hold a box or a duffle bag and he will not come anywhere near you.
3) He is not totally the smartest dog from the pound (shhh!)

Now don't get me wrong. He is smarter than your average English Bulldog or Pug Named Buster but compared to a poodle or a setter he is definitely a couple of grades behind. Any dog that runs in blind terror when you open a mailbox can't be qualified as a dog genius.

I've read that dogs can tell when their owner is pregnant. They become more needy, more insecure, and  follow you around a lot. My dog has done the exact opposite. He wants to be with JTS all the time. He whimpers and plops on the ground with a sigh when JTS leaves the house. He looks up at me with an expression that can only mean, "you totally don't have this situation under control."

UNTIL this week. Now he comes and loves on me and wants tons of pets and rubs. And I'm loving it! He has never ever been a cuddly dog but now if he could crawl onto the couch and into my lap he would. It's the best.

It took him 7 months and the addition of several large pieces of furniture to recognize a change was in the air. 

And how have I rewarded him? 

By forgetting to buy him new bones to chew.
Forgetting his birthday.
Forgetting to give him his dinner until an hour after dinner time.

Bad mom. 
No.
No. 

1 comment:

Katherine said...

Oh Issa. I remember you and your fearful ways.

H, glad you are familiar with maternal guilt at such an early stage. You will recognize it well when it comes back around, in full force, once little Drawler is here. Kick it to the curb! Maternal guilt is the worst!