Thursday, September 20th, 2012
Central Park East - 6:55am

Good morning!  Are you ready for Halloween?  This ^ demon doggie is.

In other news I'm excited to report that today (actually yesterday) is the 1 year anniversary of Little Dog, Big Park! I've posted 229 times since September 19th, 2011 and walked nearly 700 miles with my little chum(s), and that's just counting the morning walk!  Since then, Little Dog(s) has also had just under 4000 page views.  Last year at this time there was only 1 little dog - and she was only about 7 months old.  I had just moved to NYC and was embarking on my grad school career. 

I was in the elevator the other day with a friend who works on the same floor as me.  She's a new friend and was commenting on how cute my dogs are - she had seen them on facebook.  She asked me what it was like to have dogs while in grad school.  I told her what a typical day is for us and she replied that it was "a LOT of work!"  I mean, I've heard that before, but I thought for a moment... 

"Yes, it is a lot of work," I replied. 

It's not a situation where you buy a houseplant or a fish and it sits on a table - a decoration in your otherwise uninvolved life.  Combined with Brian, Sofie and Bear are my family.  They have needs for affection, food, exercise, discipline, and leadership.  They need at least 2 big walks a day - I don't care what ANYONE says - 2 hours minimum!  They need your attention.  They have occasional bathroom issues.  They sometimes tear up shit in your house.  You have to not mind dog smell, bathing, cutting out mats, and stinking eye goobers.  You have to tolerate dog hair on your furniture.  You have to amend your vacations to take them along (or leave them somewhere you trust).

But amidst all of this....I have to tell you truthfully....I don't often think of it as work.  Sure, there are days.  For instance, the days last week when Sofie vomited around 11 times in 20 minutes due to ingestion of *unmentionables* and I thought it would nearly kill her.  It screwed up my day.  The nights when Bear woke us up to go out in the middle of the night or didn't make it outside before peeing on the floor of the apartment hallway.  They've certainly ruined things of Brian and mine. 

There were also hours and days spent at home studying for exams with Sofie on my lap or at my feet - quietly keeping me company during what were difficult hours.  She helped me stave off thoughts about whether I would have what it takes.  Nights when Brian went to bed but Sofie stayed by my feet while I worked on the brutal Biochem take home exams until 3 in the morning.  There were days when I stayed home sick and they snuggled up with me while I watched tv and drank tea - demanding nothing but to be with me.  Every day when I come home they are overjoyed to see me - if people loved as well as dogs do - the world would be a better place.  Every morning they stretch out of their crates, wagging tails so hard their entire back ends wiggle.  If everyone savored the simplicity of a new day as much as dogs do, the world would be a better place.  Every cool, crisp morning in the Park - even in the dark, frigid mornings of winter - Sofie would bound off her leash - rolling in the grass, chasing squirrels and birds, and sniffing for things.  Sometimes she would tear around the grass this way and that - just delighting in feeling good.  It inspires me every day.  In some ways, we do speak the same language.  There were winter runs with Sofie where we sat on the hardened grass after our run, both watching our steaming breath - sharing the feeling of pure invigoration.

So, yes they are a lot of work.  But when you love something, you give it the best you've got and it's not work - it's pleasure.   

Happy 1 Year Anniversary to my Little Dogs in the Big Park!!  My life would be a bland, gray place without you!