Dogs vs. Small Children

We spent most of yesterday cleaning our new house to get ready to move in. The door from the kitchen to the garage has a little dog door in it from the previous occupants. The kids quickly discovered this. Claire thought it was a very convenient way to keep talking to M while he worked in the garage! Scott saw it less as a means of communication, and more as an escape route. He never actually made it out, but he tried! Seeing my children's faces peeking out of a dog door reminded me of my firm stance that we won't have a dog until we're done having small children. Why have a dog when you already have a toddler!

Observe the parallels:

-They slobber all over the place.
-They chew on everything, especially important or expensive things.
-They beg for your food when you eat.
-You're not supposed to feed them whatever you're eating.
-They don't come house-broken.
-They'll play with their own poop.
-They wake you up in the middle of the night.
-They howl.
-They can't communicate, unless you count puppy dog eyes.
-They freak out during thunder storms.
-You have to give them obedience training.
-You have to teach them not to bite.
-You have to get them shots.
-They come in from outside with grass in their fur and get mud all over your floor.
-You have to bathe and groom them.
-They like to play fetch.
-Their toys are all over your floor.
-They sleep in what basically amounts to a cage.
-You can't leave them alone for too long.
-They get really excited when you come home.
-You have to spell out the few words they understand to keep them from getting too excited.
-They're always underfoot and making you trip.
-They follow you around the house.
-They want to play ALL THE TIME!

But when it's all said and done, at least children grow up and eventually learn to say, "I love you."