Keep It To Yourself

We adopted Baxter from the pound in October of 2007. We loved that little guy to pieces immediately, even though when we took him outside for his "interview" he couldn't have possibly cared less about us. We spent hundreds of dollars nursing him back to health after being neglected by the pound and whatever owner he'd had before us and when our work days were done, we couldn't wait to get home to love on him.

 

Baxter, just a few days after we got him. He was so sick the
vet told us we should leave him in his kennel all the time so he could
regain his strength.

Baxter Moneypit J. We still call him Baxter M. when he's in trouble.

 

We doted and doted and doted on him, and when we moved to HI and had to leave him behind in Oklahoma for a few months we were really sad to be without him. He was my companion when Erik was deployed to Iraq, and even Erik would ask to see him/have him do his tricks when we were on Skype (don't tell him I told).

 

We loved him enough he had clothes. A Halloween costume (pictured)
and a couple of sweaters when we lived in OK because he was cold after having
all his hair shaved off for being so matted. He did look pretty cute...

 

In May of 2010, we found out we were pregnant. We had already been tossing around the idea of getting another dog, but we decided to act when we thought it might soften the blow to Baxter when he wasn't "top dog" in our lives anymore to have a buddy. Truth be told, I wasn't too keen on the idea, but I went along with it because I thought it was what Erik wanted (and it turns out, he was only going along with it because it's what he thought *I* wanted). Anyway, enter Sam.

Samuel Adams J.

 

Sam was effing nuts until we had him neutered. We spent more money fixing him up than we did Baxter (thanks, Hawaii), even though his prior owner loved him dearly. (She got rid of him because she wanted to move into the fancy new government funded apartment building and they didn't take animals - boo hoo.... She later asked for him back - after telling me she had been on a month long trip to Alaska. I told her she'd have to pay for all the vet costs we had incurred and that was the last I heard of her). I never fell in love with Sammy, and neither did Baxter, he was much more Erik's dog than mine.

Sam, Grant (in utero) and myself.

 

Few things in life are better than a brand spankin' new bone.

And then Grant came along. Baxter barely tolerates Grant (or anyone at this point... he's a cantankerous old man) but Sam adores Grant. He lets him yank and pull and poke and prod all he wants. And when he's had enough, he just gets up and moves on. He's been protective of G from day one, sleeping on the stairs outside G's room while Erik was away. We always said we'd never stop loving our pets just because we had a kid. Now when I see people as in love with their pets as we once were, I can't help but think they obviously do NOT have children. I'm kidding, I know that's not always the case. Well, I'm not kidding in that I really do think that, but.... Maybe we just have smaller hearts than those people who manage to still love their pets after kids come along.

 

Sam on guard outside Grant's room.

Baxter hoping that if he sits in G's bouncy chair
G might have to find another one. At a different house.

 

The problem with them (as with all dogs, I'm sure) is that they have an affinity for chewing up diapers. And they poop in the house when they're mad or feeling ignored (which was pretty much every day while Erik was deployed last time). That deployment is pretty much what sealed their fate as irritations versus family members, but man on man does G love Sam (and vice versa) - which is so sweet to watch. I can't seem to find the recent photo of them laying on pillows reading books, covered up with a blanket - but trust me, it would make you say "awww."

There was no dog tongue to baby contact in this picture.
But it wasn't for lack of trying.

Always on guard.

 

These dogs are a serious pain the ass. And the wallet. They're always underfoot, always waking the baby with their barking, always crapping on the floor, always using up the battery for their electric fence and getting off the property (okay, that's our fault), but we're committed.

 

3 members of our family have told us we should just get rid of them for one reason or another. And even though these dogs get on my nerves, I find that advice seriously offensive. Seriously.Offensive. Not everyone is wishy-washy with their responsibilities, and can feel good about dumping a pet because of inconvenience. Most recently, one family member suggested we just take them to the pound. What?! My jaw must have dropped open when they said that.

 

We adopted them, we took them into our family and committed to care for them. They're ours. Yeah, maybe we don't play with them very often, or love on the them (or even love them) as much as we should but does that mean we want to or should send them away? Maybe it would make life easier, but whose to say what their lives would be like at their next home? It's not perfect here anymore, but it's safe, and it's warm and they have food in their bellies and a bed to sleep in and they aren't overcome with mites or skin problems or whatever-the-hell else was wrong with Baxter when we got him. I know my life would be easier without them, but we're committed - so stop offering the unsolicited opinions. They live here.

 

But we sure as hell won't be replacing them when it's their time to go.

 

(((And even as I was typing this I had to get up and yell at Sam for barking crazily at the mail man and potentially waking the baby. These dogs really are lucky my parents taught me not to quit. Haha!)))