Sunday, December 31, 2006

Puppies and Toddlers: Good or No?

Shout out to Bill Gottschalk for the phrase, "Good or No?"

As you may know, we just got a puppy. As you may also know, we got a son 22 months ago.

Sometimes I wonder about the sanity of getting this puppy while we still have our own human puppy. As if we don't have enough on our plate. And both Kevin and I like our freedom. (Sagitarrius & Aquarius). Neither of us are that big on discipline. Both puppies and babies come with a need for a lot of discipline. So maybe I should start with the obvious crazies (or cons?) (or NO?)

Here are the "No"s to getting a puppy while you have a toddler:

  • More discipline
  • More work
  • More mess
  • Managing toddler and puppy can be very difficult for one person:
    1. You have to take the puppy out QUICK sometimes, but what do you do with the toddler?
    2. The puppy wakes the toddler with whining or vice versa: they feed off each other.
    3. The puppy wants the toddler's toys and vice versa. You want them to have their own toys.
  • Basically, toddler and puppy together can equal anarchy.

But here's the thing: toddlers on their own equal anarchy anyway, so what's the diff?

Here are the "Good"s. Basically, they come mostly under a single heading: "Parents of toddlers are not used to having much of a life anyway, so what's one more little poopy, peey, adorable addition?"
  • Poop, pee, and puke are no big thing deal to the parent of a toddler.
  • You are accustomed to other messes, anyway, too.
  • You are accustomed to constant vigilance anyway.
  • You are unaccustomed to uninterrupted sleep anyway.
  • You are accustomed to disciplining a LOT anyway, so what's a little more.
  • We rarely go anywhere anyway.
  • The place is somewhat baby-proofed, and therefore already puppy-proofed.
  • It gives you a chance to teach your toddler gentleness to animals from the start.
  • After trying to train a toddler on anything, you find that training a puppy is somewhat easier and takes less time.
  • And the BEST reason to just go for the craziness: they're just darn cute together!

I'm sure I'll come up with many, many more bullet points as the weeks and months progress, so stay tuned!

~t

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

When my twin brother and I turned two, my parents got a puppy. If they did it with twin toddlers, you can do it with one of each. :-)

Terri said...

Ha ha! Well, it's better than having another baby, that's for sure. I haven't gotten that itch, but hopefully now I won't!

Mo and The Purries said...

Hello!
Thanks for your submission to Bestest Blog's Animal Carnival!

The Carnival will be all day Saturday January 13th at
It's A Blog Eat Blog World

If you have a chance, can you post about the carnival either Friday evening or on Saturday, and include a link?

Thanks!
Morgen
Animal Carnival Ringmaster

Anonymous said...

Hello from a fellow carnival poster.

I was dumb enough to get TWO puppies with a toddler. Happily, we all survived. It gave me enough stories to write a book!

Terri said...

Oh no, Karen! We actually wanted two, but thank GOD we only got the one. Now we know one is probably enough! Thanks for stopping by.

desert rat said...

Well, when they're older, the puppy probably won't ask to borrow the car.

Enjoy the carnival!

Barb said...

Awww.. they're BOTH adorable! Happy Carnival!

Desert Songbird said...

You're a brave woman, tackling a puppy and a toddler at the same time. Good points for your argument.

Here via the Carnival.

Vinny "Bond" Marini said...

Hi...I am walking down the midway at THE BESTEST BLOG CARNIVAL and enjoyed your attraction... very cute puppy and son...and your son will always have a friend as he grows..

Terri said...

Thanks everyone. Bond? Do you know that is my puppy's last name? LUKE? Is that you? I see from myBlogLog that you have white hair. Where would a puppy get a pic like that? Ha ha...actually, we plan to register him under the name Lucius Aurelius Bacon Bond. Luke Bacon Bond, if you please. Bond. Luke Bond.

Angelina Lloyd said...

Thank you so much for your puppy post. I plugged in "puppy and toddler" into the search engine and up came your blog. It is always interesting to voyeur into the life of another orbiting in another part of the terrestial sphere.

Anonymous said...

we recently got a 10 week old staffy....and well...with a 5 month old and a 2 year old, I'd have to say I must of been crazy. He is gorgeous but my stress levels have gone up ten fold!

Carolyn de Paula said...

Glad to read this. I've been thinking about the same similarities. My two-year-old is my second child and my oldest, who's six, is a great, involved big brother. He has been asking for a puppy since he was three years old, and his sister loves animals, especially puppies, as much as I do. We're acquiring a Llewellin Setter next Spring, and we're all excited. My youngest will be almost three by then, so almost entering the stage of preschooler. I'm a stay at home, homeschooling mom so we'll have time to spend time with our new puppy. I'm excited!

Anonymous said...

I also googled "toddler and puppy" and found your blog. I'm writing this as my toddler and puppy feed off each other into the night. EVERYTHING you say is true. It's like I wrote this all in my non-existent sleep. I'm glad I'm not the only one who went down this crazy road.

Terri said...

Glad this post is still helpful to people.

My son is 4.5 now and he and Luke are just like siblings. Sometimes bad and sometimes good. But I think it is very sweet for a boy to grow up with a dog and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Oh, and so happy that they are now both totally potty-trained!