The actual responsibility of owning a dog [warning]

I really wanted a puppy when I was a kid. Let's just say my parents were less enthused; the reality of getting a dog was a burden (Would I feed it? Would I take it for walks?). Daddy was adamant that it would leave fur all over the house, and we would definitely need a new vacuum cleaner to cope! (Oh, the concerns of a 1st world country...) Daddy was sensitive to smells - would it smell? How about potty training? Let's just say... there were multiple concerns raised. Daddy was utterly against it. Mummy was 50/50.

They did what many parents probably do: they conned me into getting other pets. First there was a fish, then there were hamsters, then there were rabbits... while there is absolutely nothing wrong with those pets, as a kid definitively fixated on a dog, other pets can't really compare. You feel like a dog will know you like a fish never can. And it's true: Rabbits can't compare to dogs - you can't really teach them tricks and more to the point they aren't loyal. Whereas the dog... the dog is your friend for life and can even communicate with you. They don't do calculus but they tilt the head and knowing glance towards the clock when its time for a walk. As if to say: You should be doing something right now, and you know it.

Aside: Dogs are one of the best prophylaxis medicines against heart disease. And you will learn to love the walk, even when howling with sleet outside. [hint: the dog doesn't care about the weather: just get outside and walk me, dumbass!]

Years later, they finally caved in. A small short-haired Jack Russell puppy arrived in our household. That was not by accident - all the long-haired breeds had been ruled out :) Mum had bought a book on selecting the right sort of breed for your family. Dad had come to terms with the idea of a new vacuum cleaner...

As it turns out, you can fall in love with a puppy very quickly. First they vomit on you from fear and worry, next they snuggle down and place a paw on your arm. You become the master of their destiny very quickly. They need reassurance in the early days.

I remember on one occasion she went missing and we couldn't find her literally anywhere in the house. The whole family was tossing the house upside-down to find her (even dad was worried). We thought maybe she had gotten out the door.... That couldn't of happened? Then we found her snoozing inside a bicycle helmet on the bottom shelf of a bookcase (the old polystyrene helmets which got really warm... makes a pretty good crib for a pup). I guess we calmed down a bit after that. She had a bit of sense, but was still a pup.

As for puppy-potty training... it isn't that hard: put down newspaper and keep your eyes on the pup every second. When they look like they're gonna pee, just place them on the paper and wait. Congratulate them on wetting the paper and always have a limitless supply of dog treats. Then just move the paper outside. It works pretty quickly.

Dad started training sessions in the evenings after work. The Russel would know the time. She waited patiently for hours, looking intently at him, and as soon as 9pm hit, WOOF!, ears go up and she sat bolt upright and grunted until training started. Absolutely relentless that dog :) They know the time of day without question. Dad would train her: Sit... wait!... place the treat on the floor.... now bark!... turn around.... okay.... now go for it!! Gobble gobble gobble..... Doggy chocolate treats vanished faster than our chicken dinner. The training was relentless, day on day. She even solved Fermat's Last Theorem... just so long as it was expressed in doggy chocolate treats...

Anyway... years passed and unfortunately, kids become teenagers, and teenagers become university students, and off they go for years at a time and the dog stays behind. Mother was accustomed to doing the walks by then, and father still completed the training every day. Jack Russel terriers love routine, and that suited us down to the ground.

The Jack Russell is very fixed on routine. They love fixed, daily work, and a good teeth gnashing on a bone or ... your arm ;) Always loyal. If they get stuck in a hole, pull them out by the tail-end. They are prone to being their own king or queen... don't let them! They need a reminder that you are the boss. Some Russells need to be worked every day... (ours needed to snooze every day). Each dog is different! Just like you and me.

Over time, our short-haired pup eventually became a long-haired grumpy so-and-so. Very particular in certain ways; almost like your grandmother. We loved her. Training always continued. Her health declined a little, then more so.

The trouble is, you love them, but they live a shorter life than you.

We heard the extraordinary tale of the Jack Russel who lived over the road from us, from working-farm stock, built like a fortress and lived to the grand old age of 24 (or thereabouts).

Walking and work bring about good health -not just the dog but you too; it is nature's way.

24 years old? That's gotta be a record! Well not ours; 15 is about the average age for a Russel and she was well beyond that.

Anyway, somehow, even though the family was spread about the country, we had independently realigned to the house on one fateful night. (One might say that there are never any coincidences in life). Recently, the Russel had been seeing the vet on multiple occasions. She was getting old (you can tell by the fur). And gosh wasn't she in a bad state. This is what happens when you get a pup: Pup turns into adult. Adult turns into elder. Eventually the underlying biological systems give way, and health declines.

Father had paid out extra for the vet bills and extended her life a little, perhaps a few weeks. The vet commented that it is very difficult to tell when it is the proper time to let go..... I remember him saying: some people wait too long, some people too quickly, you never really know...

The elderly dog walks slowly and with effort. Everything is an effort. Training is not needed. Eating is difficult. It looks like just keeping alive is an effort - and it is. You get the feeling they are there simply for your benefit, rather than their own.

Just like when we got her for the first time, we gathered around for the last moment. The vet injected some lethal chemical to end her life; she didn't let go easily, her heart was strong... that made it harder. The problem is they know when you are doing it; they know you are killing them. Unfortunately you love them and it is in their best interest... but they know what you are doing. The eyes tell you that.

So she passed away. The vet exits quickly. We cover her in a blanket and the next day bury her under 3 foot of earth. Covering with a stone is important - otherwise foxes can easily dig down.

After that, it took a long time for daddy to adjust. Of course now, we don't think about her so much. But for so many years she was with us and she was part of the family. Towards the end, it is on you to decide when to end their life.

So when you get a pup, just be certain you can deal with a new family member. With all the ups and down, you will remember so much.

Least it be only a pup.

Peace to all and good luck.