My Kid

My kid is extra sweet.  He takes naps without complaint, goes to bed when we do, eats dinner with us, is always full of energy, and loves attention from Mama and Daddy more than anything. 

Yes.  My doggie.  My child.  My constant companion.

He is the greatest child I could ask for. 

I wanted to take the time to post about Lucas and how he came to be with us.  In a past life long ago, Lucas was abused.  Jarred's parents adopted him, but I'm not sure if they took him from the abuser or adopted him from Lucas's rescuers.  Either way,  I don't know the exact details and don't want to know.  I'm sure it would break my heart. 

We've had struggles with Lucas.  We can't clap our hands or snap our fingers.  When we first brought him home, we had a squeaky toy waiting for him.  We pressed the squeaker and he was sent running to a corner shaking with fear.  He wanted nothing to do with us and even a simple pat on the head was difficult to achieve.  I assume he thought we were going to hit him.

He's had health issues, mainly involving his teeth. He doesn't have many left because they weren't taken care of. He has to get teeth pulled about once a year. I often worry that his teeth hurt him and it's painful for him to chew.

Lucas also deals with mild separation anxiety. I'm sure it has something to do with what happened in his past. He gets pretty nervous whenever I leave and is my shadow when I'm home. But honestly, I don't mind. Like I've called him before, he's my constant companion, and if it makes him feel better to be near me 24/7, I'm okay with that.

Maybe some people wouldn't spend that much time and effort on a dog, but it's absolutely Bren worth it. To watch Lucas be rough and tumble around the room with his toys is so fun. To see him gradually come to understand the word 'goodie' has also been special. I think he is really starting to understand that he is very very loved, but maybe that's because he gets toted around or held like a baby. I have no shame. He deserves it.

From adopting Lucas, I have become a big supporter of shelter dogs. No, I don't give money to any organization, but I have pretty strong feelings towards rescue pets versus those bought from a breeder. My parents' dog came from a breeder. And we love her. She is very lucky to never know what it's like to not have a home or family.

That being said, Jarred and I will only adopt from a shelter or rescue. And I have no qualms telling others that they should do the same.

A common misconception is that shelters only have mutts. Not true. But there's nothing wrong with mutts either. There are rescues that deal with specific breeds. There is a dog out ther for everyone and he or she is more than likely at a shelter.

Lucas brings so much joy into my life. I can't think of a better feeling than walking into the house after being gone to the store and being greeted with a little tail wag and a wet nose nudging my hand for a head pat. It's been very rewarding to see Lucas grow to know he's loved and cared for.

I'm a proud pet parent and while a dog is not a human baby, I also never said I wanted a human baby. At least right now. There is no comparison to the amount of effort it takes to raise a child versus caring for a dog, but I don't care. Lucas is as human as can be. He knows that when Mama and Daddy sit down to eat dinner that he goes over to his bowl (which is left out all the time) and eats. Same thing for bed time. He sees us brushing our teeth and crawls onto his bed. I seriously have the best dog ever.

I know I will be a good mother to a child someday, but until then, I am content to know that I will always remember the first baby I loved: LouieBlue!

My kid. Lucas will always be my kid. I'm a lucky Mama.