The Well-Trained Puppy

The kids have always wanted a pet. I have always had another child instead. The two things don't work together, so we are petless. But it's all working out for the best, because lately we've had two puppies crawling around the house. Gid and Eli love to play puppies! In the picture above they are drinking water from their puppy bowls and LOVING it! So far it's been cute and I've even enjoyed seeing them crawling around, barking at each other, wagging their little hineys with their tongues hanging out of their mouths. But now it's gone too far.

Gid is puppy trained. Puppy trained is good for a puppy, not so much for a two year-old. This week he started going outside to poop. Hmmm. Where would he learn such a thing? The dangerous facet of this behavior is that once he poops, he pulls off the diaper (and all the clothing he's wearing in the process) and leaves it all on the patio. Then I look out and see him streaking across the back yard and I know what's going on! I've tried to catch him in the act, but amazingly, I don't always notice him slipping out back to do the dirty deed! Sometimes, he strips and then poops. I find the little poop logs outside, where any good little puppy would deposit them. It's like having a well-trained puppy, but oh so wrong! I could look at it this way: he's showing some signs that he might be ready for potty training. I've done the potty training thing many times, but I've never had to undo the puppy training before beginning the process!

It never fails that with Gid I have to throw out my well-used, offspring owner's manual and make it up as I go! He's unlike any other child I've had. He's crazier, more independent, more coordinated, louder, funnier, and bigger. I'm too old for this.