Owning A Dog

When I was about eight or so, I wanted a dog. I begged my parents to get me a dog, and finally they did. We went to the local pound and picked out a six month old golden lab/collie mix named C.J. She was a pretty dog, and could have been a good dog, but at eight, I wasn't actually very good with dogs. Since she was supposed to be mine, I was the one who was supposed to feed her, but I constantly forgot. And I never went out to play with her because I was little and she was big, and she scared me. And my two younger brothers thought it was funny to throw things at her, like sticks and bricks. C.J. was constantly escaping the fenced backyard, not that she was ever getting very far, and dad was constantly upgrading her chain to keep her inside.

Finally, mom and dad decided that enough was enough. It was pretty clear--to them at least--that there was a reason she kept escaping, and and they thought it was because she was pregnant and didn't want to have puppies with my brothers throwing things at her. So, mom and dad sent her back to the pound.

For a long time, our family swore we would never have another dog. They were too much work, my siblings and I weren't old enough or big enough to take care of one by ourselves, and mom just didn't like dogs.

Cut ahead 13 years, and we have a dog again. This time, a 5 month old German Shepherd/Mastiff mix named Charlie. (Which is a funny story in itself) This time the dog is my brother Joe's, though somehow everyone else has become the caretakers. I walk him every morning, dad feeds him every morning, and the two little boys feed and play with him in the afternoon when they get home from school.

This time around, owning a dog has been much easier. I'm much bigger than him, so I'm not afraid of him--though he is stronger than me--and thankfully he doesn't bark. He only whines, and only when no one has fed him. He has his own fenced area and doesn't ever try to escape, and he's generally a loved part of the family. I don't think he would ever try to escape, even if given the chance. He always just comes back.

Sorry if this post doesn't have anything to do with the world.