Nauset Kennels

Oprah recently had a show where moms confessed to all sorts of things that, I think, were supposed to shock all of us. I actually had the opportunity to watch thanks to my second case of strep throat in two weeks. While I wasn’t thrilled about the show because I kept thinking, “Yeah, I’ve thought that before,” or “Yeah, I haven’t done that, but something similar certainly,” it did give me inspiration to write a new blog! Today’s entry, in homage to Oprah, is aptly titled, Confessions of a Dog Owner.

1. I like one of my dogs more than the other. Sad, isn’t it? It’s kind of that nasty secret that isn’t talked about. Pecan is just easier. He comes when I call him, he is super at the kennel and loves playing with the other dogs, he snuggles like a pro, the list goes on.

2. Sometimes I forget to feed my dogs. Trust me, my dogs used to start the pre-dinner sit-in around 2 p.m. just to be sure that I remembered. Now that we are down to two dogs, there just doesn’t seem to be that kitchen sit-in. In fact, I usually have to call them for dinner, so perhaps I can have a pass on this one since they aren’t in the kitchen to remind me?

3. I can’t stand sleeping with my dogs. It is always the same thing every night. I go into my room and find one or two of them on my pillows. They look super cute and snuggly so I figure why not? Within a few minutes, Scout is huffing and puffing under the covers because she is so darn hot, but won’t actually move to get air. At that point the bed is shaking from her heavy breathing and it feels like the quarter beds at cheap motels!! I have to give her the boot. Pecan is small, so how much trouble can he really be, right? Well, he snores like a champ and starts right as I am drifting off to sleep. He has positioned himself on my pillow like a human being, and will even nuzzle the back of my head trying to get comfy. (This all sounds sort-of pornographic, doesn’t it?!). And to top it all off, he stays comfortable for about ten minutes and then needs to re-position, tapping at my shoulder to go under the covers and then, ten minutes later, he’s back on my pillow snoring away. Arghhhhh!

4. There are those rare moments that I wish I didn’t have dogs. (Actually, that was on Oprah too, where one mom said something about actually having just a moment or two where she wished she could go back to a simpler life without kids and I was nodding along knowing that I have had that same thought once or twice). So, there it is. I’ve said it. Most of you are gasping in horror, falling to the floor, mouth agape, eyes bulging type of reaction. Some of you are actually nodding your heads, just oh so slightly. Admit it. We love them tremendously, but every rare once in awhile you think how easy it would be…

5. I’m so glad we don’t have any cats anymore. For those of you who actually knew Puck, my little black kitty, you will be totally surprised by this comment. She was one of a kind, true, but with all cats come litter boxes, wet cat food that stinks up the whole house, hair balls, etc. My daughter keeps asking when we can get another cat and my voice tells her, “Someday, honey,” but in my head I am saying, “Never!!” But we all know how persistent children can be.

6. Sometimes I like my pets more than my children. No back talk, no cajoling, no strings attached. Pets are just there to love you back. Period. They don’t need to find their own ways, figure things out, stuff like that.

7. Even after all I’ve said, my last confession is that I really can’t imagine our house without at least one dog. I always wanted a dog as a child, even bringing one home from the mall where someone was giving away free puppies. My mom had other ideas though, so we had more years without dogs than with dogs. Even without the kennel, we are animal people. At one point we had so many animals we called our house “The Zoo.” Two snakes, five dogs, and three cats kept us busy and smiling. Like I said before, we are now down to two dogs. They provide constant joy, they teach my children responsibility and compassion, they provide lots of cuddles, and who can resist a dog who snores right in your ear?

My parents are here visiting and helping out with the kids so Kirsten and I can work (still trying to get into the new building while operating out of the old building). We love having them around and are so happy to have the help. They are not, however, animal people.

Scout is continually underfoot, waiting for my mom to drop her a tidbit now and then. I am shocked that mom hasn’t tripped over her and suffered a bad fall.

Pecan is still suffering from whatever is wrong with his stomach and esophagus and regurgitates for hours at a time. It really is a pain (both for him and us) and gets old quickly. In an effort to stop the regurgitation, we are experimenting with feeding him three meals a day. And did I mention that he is still skittish and barks at people in the house even though he just saw them two minutes prior?!

Needless to say, my parents will not miss our dogs when they head home next week. If anything, I am sure they will be scratching their heads wondering why we even have animals.

You have all known people who are just not that into dogs or cats, or even the less popular animals like ferrets and birds. There is probably even a hierarchy amongst animal lovers as to what level of commitment they are willing to make. Some people are just into dogs, some are into rabbits, while others have the whole menagerie.

Back to my folks though. They cannot fathom the amount of money we have forked over for our pets (sometimes I can’t either though!!). Nor can they understand the nature of our business and why anyone would go on vacation with their pets. My dad guffawed last night over a conversation abut CPR for animals. Over the laughter I think I heard him say, “Don’t expect me to ever perform CPR on your animals.” If Pecan comes over seeking affection from my mother she sort of looks around to see if we are close by and then quietly tries to shoo him away. This is too good - I can actually hear her right now telling him to go away as I am sitting here typing!

Non-animal people just don’t get it. I suppose we could create a window sticker for our cars proclaiming our feelings like Jeep owners with their “It’s a Jeep thing,” but ours would say, “It’s a dog thing,” or “It’s an animal thing.”

For the moment we are all coexisting in the house with animals, using a lot more of the industrial size lint roller sheets than usual and vacuuming a ton. And thank goodness for the kennel - Scout and Pecan have been spending a lot more time than usual with us at work! Mom and Dad pretend they like the animals to a point (kudos to them for even trying) and do make it a point to remember to feed them and let them out as needed. To animal lovers this probably sounds cruel on their part, that they “make it a point to remember to feed them.” But when it comes to non-animal people, we should remember our new motto. It really is an animal thing. Isn’t it?