"Oh, to turn back time."

I grew up with them. Nate grew up with them. It's part of being American for crying out loud. We held out as long as we could. The silent thought between both of us was, "our kids are too much work as it is!" Then Elizabeth turned three and the boys kept begging. So we gave in...oh, if I could turn back time!


I put out feelers and got more advice on "finding the right dog" than I cared for. Asking dog lovers for opinions on their furry friends is like asking Democrats and Republicans why their side is better for America.

In true Sarah fashion I jumped at the first free puppy I could find that of course reminded me of my favorite delicacy - chocolate. A friend of a friend...only three hours drive...and the puppy was said to be the 'calmest of the bunch.' Oh, if I could turn back time!

I would compare getting a puppy with birthing a toddler at the terrible twos, so you fall in love at first sight(when they are all shy and reserved) and then 24 hours later their little personalities come right out (as they feel so welcome in your quiet and orderly home)and you begin to think twice about the whole situation.

Now I KNOW we are in the puppy stages! I KNOW! I KNOW! I KNOW! But.....



I never expected our puppy to be a flesh eating piranha. I never expected our puppy to attack my children and rip their pants apart instead of chase the ball being thrown. I never expected our puppy to get some weird parasite (CALLED THE MANGE) and chew all of her hair off!

But...we live and learn...well, rather we cave in to our children's pleadings and empty promises (I PROMISE I will clean up the dog's poop mom! And I PROMISE to play with the puppy everyday without being asked mom!) and then we learn (when people look at you with a twitch in their eye and say with gritted teeth, "Of course a dog is something you have to do for your children at some point...you will love it..." we should pick up on those nonverbal cues better).




Yes, Bella (that is the attack dog's name) has her super sweet moments - usually when no small children are present. Yes, my chocolate lab/Aussie mix has great potential (for a shark impressionist). And yes, my fuzzy, long eared, no tail canine can fetch a ball and then quickly turn on you to fetch your pants, rip them off at the cuff and run away leaving you naked before you can say "heel".



Though it was the boys who begged and pleaded for a dog it is Sister Girl who has taken to her the most. I think the small, fuzzy, ball of cuteness had something to do with it at first - or the fact that someone in the house was now smaller than her and she could boss (or so you thought) it around. Of course within a matter of weeks the puppy is now able to stand up and hug Elizabeth around the neck (then knock her off her feet and try to chew her face off). This doesn't phase my tough girl one bit - after letting out some screams of terror she quickly scolds Bella and tries again to force a tutu around the puppy's head.

The boys too are coming around. Eli is getting quicker at running up the slide out of reach of Bella's fangs but also getting bolder at saying 'no' at a more audible command than before. Ian has taken to teaching her to sit and stay for treats (and I wondered why our puppy was growing at an astronomical rate).

We did break down and spend a preschool's day wages on the dog whisperer to come to our house (we were at a low point)so she could show us how to be the Alpha Male - too bad Nate and I are competing for this position so as not to be eaten on a daily basis. But the bell on the back door has worked (Bella rings this to let us know she needs to go out and relieve herself) and well...yeah, that bell works real well. Oh, to turn back time.




I'm sure I will have many adventures with Bella now as she has somehow made her way into our hearts and become our 4th child (yes, waking us up at the crack of dawn and begging to be played with; making us schedule our activities to come home and relieve her from her kennel; and begging friends and neighbors to 'babysit' her when we go out of town for the day).

At least I can say I am now giving my children a complete American childhood, right? Oh, to turn back time...