It is 2018, Collegiettes, and dogs have officially replaced diamonds as a girl’s best friend.
Or at least they have in my eyes, the eyes of a dog mom. My little Yorkie, Max, is my bestie, and nothing could ever replace him. He brings me so much joy, along with sass, fun, recklessness, and even worry. I’m sure all dog moms can relate to what our furry friends contribute to our daily lives.
You wake up on their time.
Dogs are so much fun… until they wake you up at the crack of dawn. I’ve gotten Max somewhat trained to snuggle in bed all morning, but if he wants me up, he will wake me up no matter what it takes. Whether it’s barking in my ear to let me know he wants to go outside, squeaking his toys to tell me he wants to play, or just kissing me in my face to be sweet, I wake up when Max wants me to wake up. And that’s okay. Our pups are just like us and crave attention, even if that means getting up at 8 am.
You just have to accept the dog kisses.
Before I became a dog mom, I wasn’t a fan of dog kisses. Max is a kisser, however, and I now find it *sooooo* adorable. It’s his way of showing love, as it is for a lot of dogs. Yes, puppy smooches can be wet and icky, but knowing that they are kissing you just because they love you somehow makes it all okay. I’ll take those dogs kisses anytime. It melts my heart.
Walks turn into runs. Thanks, squirrels.
It is not a misconception that dogs love to chase squirrels; they actually do. And as a dog mom, that means you will be chasing squirrels, too. Squirrels, cats, other dogs, birds, anything that moves really – they will run after it. Trying to keep up with your prancing puppy can be tough, even frustrating, but look on the bright side, you can use it as your workout for the day. I know I do.
Sharing is caring, especially when it comes to food.
If you’re a dog mom that strictly feeds your puppy dog food, praise you! I tried that at first, and I could not get past the puppy dog eyes. It’s important not to go crazy with it, and definitely research what your dog can and cannot eat, but my pup Max always get a little “human” food with his meal. I mean, how could I not when he looks at me with those sweet eyes? That is my weakness, and he surely knows it.
Leaving them sucks.
As a college student that lives on campus, I have to bear the burden of leaving my dog every single week. It’s hard. My dog gets mad when I leave him, and I get sad. It’s not a good feeling to be separated from your dog, but the reuniting is so sweet and worth it. Even if you’re just leaving your dog at home to go out to eat or to the grocery store, it always sucks to shut the door on them while they look at you like you will be gone forever. But don’t worry – when you come home, you will be greeted with lots of love, and everything will be okay.
Having a dog is more than just butterflies and rainbows. It’s truly sacrificing some things for the benefit of your pet, but as a dog mom, I would not have it any other way. There is little in life that compares to the happiness I get from my sweet Maxwell.
If you’re prepared to become a dog mom, think about choosing adoption! There are so many lonely pups out there that could use your love and love you right back. Start here: https://humanesocietyofyorkcounty.org/.