Full disclosure – I never thought of myself as a dog person. In fact, recently when someone saw me post on Facebook that I was looking to hire a dog walker they texted me to ask me if my account had been hacked!
I really never understood what all the fuss was about. People post pics of their dogs on social media all the time. They buy clothes for them. Everyone seems to love their dogs. I just didn’t get it, especially the people walking their dogs while holding bags in their hands for their dog’s pending deposit.
So when my son Jacob called and said he was thinking about getting a dog, and wanted to know what I thought, believe it or not I said – I think it sounds like a great idea! I said it because I know how much people LOVE their dogs. I really wanted Jacob to have a buddy, and I thought this would be a great idea.
Jacob gave it great consideration and bought Blitzen when he was 11 weeks old, a beautiful regal Husky with the most beautiful blue eyes. Jacob was so excited.
Jacob and Eliza, Jacob’s girlfriend, brought Blitzen for a visit. Ari, my younger son and I were so eager to meet him and play with him. His first visit was so fun. We loved having him in the house even after he chewed through a few carpets and we had to rearrange some things to accommodate him. I really wanted to bond with Blitzen that weekend, but so did everyone else, so I sat back and enjoyed watching the kids enjoy him and get to know the new puppy.
We had plans that weekend and I remember thinking about how will the dog impact our plans? See, I am on the go a lot. I enjoy being active and I really enjoy coming and going on my own timetable, but now there was Blitzen. It was like the world had stopped, time too and now we have to plan according to Blitzen. It was fine for the weekend. We made our plans around his schedule. Jacob was working to get him on a schedule.
Then, about six months later the call came from Jacob, “Mom, can you watch Blitzen for two weeks?” Jacob loves to travel. Ari and I told him we would consider Blitzen a family dog and help him when he needed it. Okay, I will say it right here and now – I was clueless about what it means to watch a puppy.
Another wonderful opportunity presented itself for Jacob to extend his trip which would mean I would care for Blitzen for almost a month. Again, I said yes. I was thinking like I always do when it comes to my kids. If I can say yes, then I do it. There is no greater joy then being a mom, so I tend to say yes more than no, most times.
The first few days were fun. It was the honeymoon stage. It was all new having a puppy in the house. Blitzen and I had to get our routine down. One of the first nights, I heard him crying at 3 a.m., I quickly ran downstairs and let him out in my backyard. I texted Jacob and asked him if this is part of his normal routine. He said, what is Blitzen doing? I said he’s out back playing with a football! Jacob responded with, “Mom, he’s playing you, put him back in the crate!”
Eventually, we got our morning routine down. I enjoy listening to Podcasts, so walking him was the perfect time to do just that. It was nice walking him especially during the afternoon walk. I met and talked to more people in my neighborhood while watching Blitzen then I ever have before. My new friend Sandra, who lives just around the corner, and I met while I was walking Blitzen. Kids would walk by and stop and pet him, and say hi to Blitzen. He is a people magnet. Everyone wants to say hi to Blitzen.
Full disclosure, I am tired from my early morning wake ups with him. Some days he was up by 4:30 a.m. It was like I had a new member of the family staying with me and I was constantly concerned with his wellbeing. Did he eat? When is he getting a walk? Are we playing with him enough? I am glad I had time with him. Watching Blitzen reminded me why I do not have a dog right now. It’s a commitment of time and energy.
Blitzen goes home today. Now, almost after a month, Blitzen has taught me why people love their dogs so much. He was my constant buddy. I loved watching him stretch his legs, and how he makes sure his paws don’t touch puddles, and has no problem drinking from them. I enjoyed coming home and being greeted with so much excitement. He was my companion providing unconditional love during his stay. I look forward to many more visits and walks together. I look forward to what other life lessons will come from time with Blitzen.
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