This is our dog, Margaret. She is pretty good, as far as dogs go, but she’s still, you know, a dog. I tend to like cats a lot better since they are so undemanding. They are very self-sufficient and quiet. Perfect. Unfortunately they aren’t the most affectionate animals. Fine by me, but not so great when your children think it might be nice to actually touch their pet. And instead get an armful of scratches.
So after our last dog, Anna the Pug, got run over by the mailman (very sad story. Nothing breaks your heart like a grown man crying at your front door) we decided to take a break from the animal kingdom. That lasted for a year or two. I go through these weird phases every once in a while where I must have a pet. I love to do research and I spent months trying to find the perfect dog. Anna the Pug was great, though stupid. (People always say that having a stupid dog is a bad thing; like it’s your child or something. No. A stupid dog is good. There is no trying to escape from the yard/kennel/leash. No figuring out how to climb onto the kitchen counters. No plotting on how best to eat the babies food without her noticing.) Pugs also shed a lot. A LOT! If you wear tan clothes all the time maybe it’s not noticeable, but for us it was a deal-breaker.
So we got a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Hardly any shedding. The entire point of this breed is that they like to be with people. A crazy, undying craving to be around people at all times. If you are wanting a furry shadow, this is the dog for you. This has some serious downsides, though. Like she’s afraid of the dark. She won’t go to the bathroom outside at night unless someone is close enough to rescue her from the boogeyman.
She is also quiet. When she needs to go to the bathroom, she sits nicely by the back door. Great if you are sitting in the kitchen, but not so helpful if you’re upstairs watching a movie. If you don’t let her out, she poops in her favorite indoor spot–on the stairs. The stairs! What the…?
She’s also embarrassingly subservient. The second she sees another dog she’s laying on her side. She might as well be wearing a sign that says “I’m pathetic. Please mistreat me.” I try to make her act tough and be more macho, but even a puppy is higher up in the pack than poor Margaret.
The fact is, she’s a lover not a fighter. She’s the perfect size–not big, not tiny–and doesn’t mind being dressed up in baby clothes and pushed around in the toy stroller. She’s pathetic, for sure, but she doesn’t seem to mind. She’s a dog!
You spoke to my heart. I am a dog lover for sure. I totally agree with the stupid dog thing, or at least unmotivated. Our last dog was that, smart, but unmotivated. Perfect combo. I must say I have some “little dog” envy going on right now. Our 7 month old “puppy” is over 110 lbs, very smart and very motivated.
Incredibly loving and devoted as well. He is also my shadow and whimpers and howls when I leave the room. So much for my macho big dog.
Margaret is beautiful!
Okay, that was like the longest comment I’ve ever posted. I’m officially an animal freak-sorry!
She is a real cutie! I’m so glad you did a post about your dog. I’ve been wondering what she looked like and what her personality was.
I do love dogs. They can be messy and annoying at times, but they are so loving and sweet. Our puppy is such a sweet member of our family. He is my shadow during the day, but its not too overbearing. He just wants to be with me.
Maybe you can tie a bell to the back door and teach Margaret to ring it with her nose when she needs to go out for potty. That is what my neighbor taught her dog.
OMG, please don’t ask Jennie to train her dogs to do anything. I dont’ blame her–she has six kids and enough on her plate to kill most people. but training her dogs falls somewhere near 5027 on her list of things to do. It took her two years to train Maggie to even poop outside.
Maggie is one of the least stinky dogs I’ve ever met. And that ranks her WAY up on my list of dogs. Do they make her in a bigger version? I’m not much for little dogs, but everything else about her is just right for me.
i so love a little dog–but i just love them at somebody else’s house. so this set-up works PERFECT for me.
now if my kids would be content to just click on your page and look at her.
I never realized you have a dog. I’m surprised! I didn’t picture you as a dog person. She’s cute.