You know you're a doggy-parent when...



So...I was taking a look at my life the other day and I was thinking...there are a lot of things that are different now that I have a dog. Just little details in my life. I mean, of course things change. I have a freezer full of raw meat for him, I take him out for walks, I have vet bills etc. But those things are all expected. However there are some things that I didn't realise were happening...the very slow transition between being a dog owner and a dog parent.
Yes, Rick and I have had this conversation many times and we both really feel that Bosun is well and truly part of our family. When we brought him home to live with us at 10 weeks old, we effectively took over the role of his parents. We had to finish teaching him acceptable manners and how to play and just little things that he would otherwise learn from his mother or his litter mates.
Now when I say that I am a dog-parent, I don't mean I'm one of those weirdos that calls her dog fur-babies and dresses them up and shares their dinner. If you are one of those people and I've just offended you, I'm not sorry, you are ridiculous.
But certain habits and traits are unavoidable and I have to accept that yes, I am a dog parent.
You know you are a dog-parent when...


  • You refer to yourself as "Mummy" around the dog. I.e. "No, don't chew that pebble, give it to Mummy" or "No, don't chase that deer, come back to Mummy". I cringe even now as I'm writing this, but I physically cannot help it...it just comes out.
  • You find poo bags in every single coat pocket, trouser pocket, handbag, rucksack and general gap in your clothing. You have to check everything before you put it in the washing machine because otherwise the poo bags go crinkly and weird. You think that your dog must do an awful lot of poos because you have to buy so many poo bags, but then you actually realise that you're just storing poo bags all over the house.
  • You have dog hair on all your items of clothing and you find it totally acceptable. Do you remember the time when you would go to a friend's house where there was a dog and you'd come out and brush yourself off? Those days are gone. Dog hair is just a part of your every day routine now. You'll find it in your cereal bowl, in your socks, on your clothes, in your own hair. It just gets everywhere. And have you ever got a hair stuck in your foot?? I didn't even know this was a thing, but it really hurts! 
  • You don't pick up dog toys when you're tidying up the house because they don't count as mess. You feel that the dog needs as much stimulation as possible so you don't want to constantly put his toys away, you want him to have as many toys to play with as possible...but then you realise you're just deluding yourself because he chooses to play with your slippers or the remote control anyway. It's a good thing we love them...
  • You come home early from events and functions because you're worried about leaving him by himself for too long. He might get bored or lonely. The house might burn down, a robber might steal him, he might choke on a toy...and all these things run through your head constantly so you don't actually enjoy the evening. You realise you're being irrational...but you really don't care.
So these are just a few things that I've noticed. There are probably 600 more things I do that I don't even notice. When did you folks first notice that you were a doggy parent?

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2 comments :

  1. My sister doesn't just refer to herself as mummy... she'll also tell her dog to "go to grandma!" (meaning my mum). I don't think my mum is very impressed that her only grandchild has four legs and barks ;-)

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    Replies
    1. HAHA! I'm sure it's only a matter of time...

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