This year we finally took the big leap into dog ownership. It wasn’t a decision we took lightly and it is a debate that we have been having for oh so many, many years. Any parents who are pet-free have probably had that conversation at least once, you know the one; “please can I have a puppy, please” with wide, beseeching eyes.
We both knew that having a dog was a big deal. Having three kids at home, jobs, busy lives, we needed to be sure that it was the right time. Whenever we had the conversation, we would talk about the many positives but the negatives always seemed to out outweigh them. It seemed quite a daunting prospect both from a financial and a commitment point of view.
I have blogged before about my daughter’s fear of dogs. It has been really hard for her, this was a genuine phobia that even led to her running out in front of cars to avoid dogs and at times, she was afraid to go out for fear of seeing one. Knowing that we couldn’t carry on like that, I signed up for an amazing Building Children’s Confidence Around Dogs course with the local Dog’s Trust and it was amazing. It really helped my daughter and it did start us thinking again about the possibility of having a dog.
Fast forward two years and we finally decided the time was right.
We spent a lot of time looking at different breeds. We both had a few ideas but a friend said to us that we needed a Labrador. She said that with a child who was afraid of dogs and another with extreme anxiety, a Labrador would be easy to train and calmer around the children.
So a Labrador it was. Then came the question where to find a puppy? I became obsessive about checking the Kennel Club website and because we wanted to ideally get the puppy at the beginning of the summer holidays, it was a bit of a waiting game. Then a friend of a friend told us about a litter of labradors that would be ready in the second week of the holidays. Perfect. They were about an hour away and as soon as they were four weeks old, we went to see them.
Oh my goodness, cute does not even cover it! There were ten puppies some black and some golden and I could have taken them all. Having spent two months with one, I think ten might have finished me off. We had decided to go for a black female and as soon as we went into the kitchen a little black female ambled out of the basket and looked up at us. That was it! She chose us. After lots of cuddles, we reluctantly said goodbye and waited for her to reach eight weeks so that she could come home.
Choosing a name was an interesting process. My daughter had lots of girlie names as I would have expected. The two teens came up with names that I certainly would not want to call out in public. Then a moment of genius. My 15 year old said what about Liberty. The boys are Swansea City fans and they play at the Liberty Stadium. My daughter loved the name too, so that was decided.
The four weeks soon passed and we brought Liberty home. She was adorable. She settled in really well and really quickly although the 4am wake ups were a bit of a shock.
She dominated our summer and I am so glad we did it during the holidays. She had needed lots of love and attention and lots of time in the garden. It has meant that we haven’t been able to do as much as we could as a family as someone has had to stay with her, but slowly we are adapting to life with a dog.
It isn’t always easy. She chews absolutely everything. That has been the hardest part. And I mean anything. Apparently labradors are well known for this. Like a toddler, she is a handful when she gets overtired and we have had to watch out for those sharp little teeth of hers as she can give you quite a nip if you aren’t paying attention.
For my daughter, it has been life-changing. She loves Liberty so much and although it took time, she is so happy around Liberty now and has even been in a room full of dogs at puppy training classes with me. But the best bit of all is the fact that she can now go to friends’ houses who have dogs which is absolutely amazing.
Even two months in, it is starting to get easier. We are in a routine and she fits in with that. She loves going in the car for the school runs and she really loves the fuss and attention she gets from everyone. But she is amazing, we all adore her and even though it is hard work at times, it is worth it and I’m glad she chose us.
This is lovely! I’m so glad it has worked out well for you all, especially your daughter. I’ve never been keen on dogs, but over the last couple of years, something has changed. Now I feel it’s not a case of ‘if’ I get a dog, but ‘when’. I say ‘I’ rather than ‘we’ because I suspect the boys will have left home by the time it happens. Being on my own at home all day, every day can get lonely and I think a dog will make a big difference.
Sarah MumofThree World recently posted…My daughter’s 100th parkrun
She is so beautiful as all the labs are. I too struggled with this question for many years, with my wife and son yearning for one and I obviously had my strong counterarguments ready. But a day came when I had to relent but I was clear about the fact that I wanted a dog that is calm, peaceful, and docile and my search led us to a very beautiful pug. It has been 5 years and we did not regret the decision even once.