Since I can remember I have always had a pet… there have been a few cats, some dogs, a couple of birds, a hutch of rabbits, a bowl of fish… and a partridge in a pear tree (haha no, not really).

And no, not at once!! 

Having a pet is a big commitment (huge, actually), but as a kid you don’t realise this because someone else is feeding it and cleaning up after it (I think I preferred that better).

Now as an adult, I get to have the pleasure of looking after everything a pet needs to be happy and healthy.

Some pets are more work than others!!
And some are more fun than others!

Having had quite a few pets in my lifetime this far, I can honestly say that a dog is definitely the most work (and I think, the most fun).

But before we had a dog, we had a cat first.

Our cats name was “Kitty”, I know that’s a very original and well thought out name for a cat (i’m pretty sure she was the only cat named Kitty). She was such a good cat but somehow very crazy at the same time, just like we were. 

She really was a carefree independent pet… she would come and go as she pleased and came back to have a nap on our lap (that rhymes) and amazingly she knew the exact time for her food.

You would have her weaving through your legs as you took one step every 5 seconds to not trip over her… it took 10 minutes to finally put down her food bowl, it became a skill.

After having a cat for about 12 years that really gets you ready for a dog!!

My daughter and I had talked about getting a puppy, I knew that kind of decision would be a very serious one and a massive long term commitment, so I really needed to take the appropriate amount of time to consider if this was a good idea or not. 

That weekend we posted up a photo on social media “We bought a puppy!!!!”.

And here we were holding this tiny and super cute, tri-colour, 7 week old Beaglier puppy in our hands, unbelievably happy, smiling proudly and in an instant we now had a dog.

How did this happen!! (haha)

It was the most easiest decision I ever had to make in my entire life… sometimes life can be that easy.

We had already picked out the name before we even got him. Inspired by a scene in the movie “Toy Story 4”… Bo, bo, bo, bo bo bo bo bo (Bo Peep).

After realising that engraving “BO” on his blue bone-shaped metal collar tag could be a bad idea (BO… body odour)… meet our Beaglier named “Beau”. 

It is absolutely outrageous how much crap you end up buying for a new puppy… dog bed, food bowls, collar, blue bone-shaped metal tag, harness, leash, dog toys, training pads, treats for training…

In a short time most things have now been chewed to bits by one cheeky teething puppy named Beau.

Then there are the vaccinations… worming tablets, vet visits, desexing, insurance, registration, regular health check-ups, grooming, clipping… and the food (how does one small dog want so much food!).

If you weren’t tired yet… how about cleaning up after a dog (how does one small dog make so much mess!!).

My dog eats more than I do!! He would actually eat all his food in about 10 seconds flat and then come sit in front of me and give me that stare of “can I have some of your food too?”. You have never felt as much guilt as eating in front of a dog!! Haha no, seriously… it takes a strong person to resist those puppy dog eyes.

I have no idea how my dog grew so big so quickly, it seems like the puppy stage lasted for a very short time (it’s lucky I took over a million photos of him each day to remember every second of his life).

Beau is like having a baby again, instead of nappy changes it’s the constant cleaning of the floor and who knew a dog could go to the toilet that much!! Not to mention that smell… you could never quite understand until you have a dog. 

If you are not cleaning the floor, you are cleaning the bed sheets, blankets, cushions and any other item that gets in the way of your dogs toilet habits.

Training was and still is the most hardest part, then if you move house (like I did) you need to repeat the whole process again… patience is highly recommended for puppy ownership (they don’t seem to mention that when you sign up to get a puppy).

The breed we got is cross between a Beagle and a Cavalier. They told me when we got him that he does not like to be left alone (they weren’t wrong) but I didn’t think that meant I couldn’t even go to the bathroom without him wanting to follow me, haha.

Look… I know… that’s so adorable, right? (I mean, geez, how can you not love such a loyal dog) but I think after a few weeks it became less adorable!!.

We love him so much… even after you get past the mess, the late night wake-ups to make more mess, the constant stares of wanting more food (that leads to more mess), the washing and the cleaning, being followed around to the kitchen and back to couch, back to the kitchen, back to couch again, over to the table (more food stares), the bathroom, napping in your bed, but hogging your side of the bed too… he sleeps in your bed because he chewed up his own bed!.

After all this work, I still have not once regretted getting a dog. Because after the lack of sleep, constant cleaning, washing and feeding and having a shadow follow you around… nothing can compare to the companionship, loyalty and love this dog gives in return!!

He has meant everything to us and he has made us smile (even laugh until we literally cried) sometimes he has made us cry until we literally laugh… having a dog has been full of surprises but he has helped get us through the most difficult times of all… The C Word (Covid) and also The D Word.