I read an article in the NY Times today titled, “The Dog’s One Big Headache, but My Kids Adore Her“. Andy Hinds, a father of two, complained about his 6 year old swissy female calling her “a liability.”
Every dog owner goes through up and downs, but I urge Andy to look at the advantages of owning a dog. He should think about his Greater Swiss Mountain dog carting his girls around in their wagons. I am disturbed about Andy giving his 4 1/2 year old twin girls the choice of returning Stella, the dog they grew up with. When I was in kindergarden, my mother received a cocker spaniel as a gift. Without knowing how to take care of a dog, she returned it after four days, which I will never forget. He should not scar his girls by making them responsible. What happens when they actually miss Stella?
That scar for me changed eight years later. After tutoring a friend’s neighbor in Math, I was offered their cocker spaniel Bambi, which they had for a month. After a few weeks my mother got overwhelmed with the puppy, but being in 7th grade, I told her that I would stop going to school if she was given away. My mother decided to keep the puppy and Bambi (followed by Becky, another cocker spaniel) became her best friend. During her chemo, my mother knew she had a furry friend to support her, and it helped her out tremendously.
Reading Andy’s article made me appreciate and hug Oscar. I could not imagine how I would feel if someone else got him!
