Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Our Babies

Sugar Baby and Bailey On A Chair Posted by Picasa



Kelli and I don’t have children. While we would like to have children someday there are many factors which might make it difficult to do so (not to mention that it would be dangerous for her to get pregnant so soon after her surgery).

Before Kelli came into my life I had ambivalent feelings about pets. A pet fish seemed like too much of a commitment. While I would never be cruel to animals, I didn’t understand that I would become so attached to a pair of dogs.

Now I have two dogs who I talk to and sing to and do some amazing amount of running around for.

It’s amazing to me how, after a long day of work when I am sometimes not very fond of humans, two 20 pound bundles of fur and energy can be so excited to see me that I can’t help but smile. Oh yeah, then clean up the poop.

It’s nice to have Bailey or Sugar snuggle up to me on the couch while I watch a movie during my day off when Kelli is at work. They don’t seem to mind if I’m watching the Kevin Bacon movie “The Woodsman” or the John Waters movie “A Dirty Shame,” they’re just happy to wedge themselves next to my side and get a couple of scratches or pets here and there.



Bailey Snuggled On Her Pig Posted by Picasa


Bailey is a gray nine year old Miniature Schnauzer female. She was bought in a pet store in Anchorage. This was the last dog my wife will buy at a pet store. Pure breeds have more problems due to their over-breeding and pet store dogs usually come from “puppy mills” who over-breed like crazy. So Bailey is our high maintenance girl.

She’s a diabetic so we have to give her insulin injections twice a day and take her to the vet every two or three months for a glucose curve. She has chronic dry-eye in her right eye which has progressed to the point where she hasn’t made tears in that eye for years. We have to give her eye-drops and eye-ointment and clean out the goo in her eye with saline solution several times a day. She had cataract surgery in her good eye and for a while we had a complicated maintenance routine with that eye too.

Oh yeah, and the diaper? She sometimes loses bladder control in her sleep. Since she usually sleeps in our bed, we use Pull-Ups on her.

Yet, for all the maintenance, I wouldn’t trade her for any dog. She’s sort of a spaz and not all that coordinated but she’s so incredibly loveable. She’s the cuddler of the two.

Sugar Baby is our other mini-Schnauzer. She’s eight years old and pure white. She could have been a show dog (although being white used to make it impossible to show her because white schnauzers were considered “flawed.”) She was bought from a respectable breeder in Minnesota and has almost no health problems, save the time last year when she had hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE) which could have killed her (and did a number on our bank account).

Sugar Baby Posted by Picasa

Sugar likes attention on her own terms. She’ll go off and sleep in the closet at night if it suits her. Or she’ll climb up and burrow under your arm until you pet her. Then she’ll put out a paw and slap at your hand as if to say “you’re not done yet!” Yet she’s just as likely to come up and snuggle against me if I’m feeling sick.

They are precious and I’d never have guessed that I’d fall in love with two dogs. They are indeed our kids. We take them to doctor appointments and they wake us up at all hours of the night and they get into things they are not supposed to. We have to bathe them and diaper one of them and make sure they get the best food (prescription food, of course).

It’s been amazing that having pets has made it impossible to get to far into my own head when I’m home alone. I used to live for great stretches of time “in my head.” Not in a freaky autistic way but it’s easy to get self absorbed when it’s just yourself in a room. Now I always have a dog or two in the room with me when I’m home and Kelli’s at work, which is a good thing. I don’t get too wrapped up in whatever I’m doing, which is good when what I’m doing is mind-numbing or tedious (housework, paying bills, etc.)

I can’t get too down and out when there are two fluffy bundles of joy here to give me some attention and distraction.

Scott Adams mentioned at the end of one of his “Dilbert Principle” books that people should get a pet because it will improve their quality of life. At the time I heard this on audio I dismissed it immediately. Now I think he was onto something.

Oops, I guess I gotta go let the dogs out now!

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have a bumper sticker, but I don't put bumper stickers on my car for resale reasons, that reads:

"Dogs are children with Fur"

I deeply believe this to be true.

My dog has been with my longer than my partner.
My dog doesn't forget to take the trash to the curb, he just eats the can. One of the biggest reasons why become so attached to our fourlegged pals is that they give us pure unadulterated unconditional affection.

If I was in some horrible disfiguring accident, and ended up looking like the elephant man, people might have a real hard time dealing with me.
My dog doesn't care. As long as treat him the same, and give him the love and affection he is used to getting from me, he doesn't care how I look.
:)

Eric said...

That's so true.

But remember this: your family will still love you after a disfiguring accident (heck, I seem to do okay) and some of us would probably eat your food if you left it out.

xTx said...

cuties!

smussyolay said...

HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!!! so cute so cute so cute!! i'm a little afraid of things with diapers... and the all white thing is killing me. sugar baby has the SMUSSIEST FACE!!!! i'm freaking out! i want to smuss them so bad. the first picture is making me freak.

okay. i'm just going to look at it 50 more times.

smussyolay said...

oh, so what i need to insert (after diapers) is that i'd probably pick sugar one 1/2 point above bailey. but they're both mega smussers.

Lindsey said...

Your dog's are so darn cute. Almost makes me want a dog :)

Anonymous said...

Your dogs are cute, of course mine are cuter. LOL ... Im so glad you have learned the joys of having pets. They give unconditional love, however they sure appreciate those ear rubs, backs scratches, treats, walkies, and toy playing stuff too. Family with fur ! I can't imagine not having them. If only they would do housework while Im at work. woof wooo wwooo

Nicotine Jones said...

Thanks for the comment on my blog about my dog. It's nice to find another white schnauzer. I will occasionally see them in my area (Cleveland OH), but most people have never seen them before. Your two pups are cute and I appreciate you sharing their stories.

smussyolay said...

i just want to stare at that first picture for hours.

Anonymous said...

Hey! I own that chair!!!! And have I mentioned before how whenever I see a picture of you it reminds me of the one of my father on the coffee mug I gave you?

Anonymous said...

Hi, Nice blog, I am bit new to this blog stuff but I really like it. I will definately be back. I have a
gold marriage charm that the horse lovers community just love. I should set a blog up on it that has to do with gold marriage charm

Anonymous said...

red leather motorcycle jacket I am keen to work with motorbike dealerships around the world, or provide one off custom suits for any biker, based here in England we can ship worldwide within 4 days from stock motorcycle leathers, clothing, gloves, knee sliders and protective gear.

Anonymous said...

I've put together a little page to help 1955 buick
people find good places for 1955 buick
related sites. If you get a chance check out 1955 buick
.
Keep the shiny side UP!. Ray in San Diego**KEYWOR

Anonymous said...

Great blog! I also have a site about places to waterski in arkansas
. You can check it out at places to waterski in arkansas
.

Also, as a special bonus, I want to tell you about a great site that is giving away a FREE Sony DVD Handycam. Just click the link below and enter your Zipcode to qualify.

FREE Sony DVD Handycam

Anonymous said...

Eric GREAT title Our Babies. I am actually looking for horse home decor related information to give my customers on my website. I paused at the title and ran out of time to read, but will book mark you and come back latter to check you out some more. I am off to find some other horse home decor related blogs. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Well done on a nice blog Eric. I was searching for information on lasik surgery cost and came across your post Our Babies - not quite what I was looking for related to lasik surgery cost but very interesting all the same!

Well it's a new year and this is the year when I hope to be completing my studies in opthalmology, which includes a thesis on upcoming laser eye surgery technology and improved eye health. I'm also planning to take a course on the excima laser, which should be fun.

If you do have a moment, please take a look at my new site on: LASIK eye surgery . It explains how I got my own vision back after Lasik surgery.

A very happy and prosperous new year to you and yours! Philip

Anonymous said...

Well done on a nice blog Eric. I was searching for information on cost of lasik eye surgery and came across your post Our Babies - not quite what I was looking for related to cost of lasik eye surgery but very interesting all the same!

Well it's a new year and this is the year when I hope to be completing my studies in opthalmology, which includes a thesis on upcoming laser eye surgery technology and improved eye health. I'm also planning to take a course on the excima laser, which should be fun.

If you do have a moment, please take a look at my new site on: LASIK eye surgery . It explains how I got my own vision back after Lasik surgery.

A very happy and prosperous new year to you and yours! Philip

Anonymous said...

Well done on a nice blog Eric. I was searching for information on lasik surgery astigmatism and came across your post Our Babies - not quite what I was looking for related to lasik surgery astigmatism but very interesting all the same!

Well it's a new year and this is the year when I hope to be completing my studies in opthalmology, which includes a thesis on upcoming laser eye surgery technology and improved eye health. I'm also planning to take a course on the excima laser, which should be fun.

If you do have a moment, please take a look at my new site on: LASIK eye surgery . It explains how I got my own vision back after Lasik surgery.

A very happy and prosperous new year to you and yours! Philip

Anonymous said...

I haven't had a chance to speak with my partner about that.Deeply, Edith titanium engagement rings

Anonymous said...

Mi domando le che informazioni del black titanium jewellry devo conoscere?Aloha, Takisha black titanium jewellry

Anonymous said...

Enjoyed a lot! Nexium esophagus related chest pain Does jogging help lose weight Cellulite removal st tammany Vw porsche kit car anal free hardcore sex