Yesterday, for something to do, I took M to a pet expo in our town’s event center. I thought it would be fun to pet the cats and dogs. There were not many animals, it was more of a convention for businesses, as it turns out, but the humane society did have some of their adoptable dogs there. And wouldn’t you know it, I started thinking about how great it would be to get a dog! Where this came from, I can’t say, because I’ve been stubbornly against having a dog for some time now. I guess it was seeing how much fun M was having playing with the friendly, frisky dogs, and also our upcoming travel lifestyle (which can easily include dogs) that changed my mind. It could also just be pure insanity.
Really, there was one dog in particular that I felt a bond with. He is a 3-year-old lab/husky mix who was very friendly, active, and loves kids. He licked M and wanted to follow her around, and his minder said he really did love children. He looks like the kind of dog who would play fetch, love walks, like car rides, and like to swim in the lake. Of course, my mother would have to be on board, as the dog couldn’t go on airplane trips. She liked the looks of “Jake” and she’s always had a dog, so it could be a possibility!
For now, I’m waiting to hear from the humane society as to how Jake does with cats, and we’ll go from there.
Mother of All Things 
Not to say it couldn’t work, I’m sure it could, and I’m sure you’re the woman who could make it work! But in a fit of “is there ever really going to be a “right time” to get a dog?” type thinking, we got a puppy about six weeks ago. Granted, puppies are a different adventure than grown dogs, but it’s not her puppy-ness that’s making us wonder what we were thinking. Honestly, she’s fit in to our lives as seamlessly as a puppy possibly could. But it’s all the extra work and time having any dog creates that’s wearing us down. I can’t say she hasn’t been an overall positive addition, (three cheers for getting off my butt to walk her every day I’m not sick!) but I miss having just a few more minutes a day to myself that are now dedicated to meeting yet another “child’s” needs. Not saying don’t do it, just a word of caution, saying really look into what the dog will need to work well for the life you’re planning. Prepare yourself! I think if we’d been more honest with ourselves, we would have got smaller dog. (She’s a mix of two large breeds.)
I’m curious as to why smaller dogs are easier to care for?
Depending on the breed, they need less exercise – you can more easily get by with them being worn out by running and playing with M around the house, vs long walks / runs, etc with a larger dog. Though walks, of whatever length works for you and your dog, are supposed to be a sort of calming, “pack building” experience. Granted, dogs like Jack Russels probably seem more challenging than an adult large breed!
Our girl is *significantly* better behaved with a minimum 1.5 mile walk a day. The longer, the better! The time commitment is a challenge on some days, which we try to make up on other days. And that’s great, and one reason I wanted a dog – the added motivation to get and keep moving. However, lol, this week it was particularly cold *and* we were all sick. I’ve got no problem bundling up and wading through whatever precipitation with the dog – she’s ¾ malamute, so she’s all in with the cold! – but the sickness just kicked our butts. She had to make do with going a little wild in the basement a couple of times a day, and she was for sure a bigger handful than usual bc of it.
Smaller dogs are also easier to transport, and under I think it’s twenty pounds? can fly in the cabin with you on many airlines. Less food, smaller accessories, less strength required to manage them if things get crazy, though of course we don’t physically punish our dog.
And maybe it’s just my perception bc our pup is 4 months and 35 pounds and we’re kind of like Whoa! right now with the work involved in training her well! We knew it would be work, she’s not even my first large dog, but…. Still! 🙂
Makes sense that you’re overwhelmed right now. I also need the motivation to get out and walk!
Good points! Having only one kid is helpful. Also, my mom gets up in the night frequently so I would depend on her to let the dog out late/early. Otherwise my kid and I are always outside and I could use an extra motivation to take longer walks
And I don’t want to discourage you, in any way. Sorry if I came off like that! Travel is part of our plan too, and we’re belatedly realizing traveling on planes can be harder on large dogs, or significantly more expensive, and we do really hope to include her in our travels. Some good news is that there are much less quarantine related requirements for pets when traveling overseas now!
I don’t plan to do plane travel with a dog… That’s why I want to share him with my mom. She doesn’t like to travel internationally and I would be driving to travel nurse assignments.