Recently, I found out that I might be a dog lover but I’m not a dog lover. After spending a weekend with a friend’s dog, I came to the conclusion that my feelings about dogs are the same as my feelings about babies. I like babies, I like babysitting, but I can’t see myself having a baby around 24/7. Just like a dog.
But don’t worry, I had tons of fun with the puppy, aka, Esme, and even picked up a few tips for all you first time dog sitters. These can also be applied to babysitting, so it’s a win-win!
Puppies Need Constant Attention:
Dog-sitting Esme showed me how much I love my alone time. But also, it was actually the cutest thing, always having Esme around me. I would be working and Esme would just wander over and put her head on my lap, looking up at me with — yes, puppy dog eyes, until I petted her. Then I got distracted and didn’t finish any work.
You Think You Have ADD? Well, Meet Esme:
I always knew that dogs had a short attention span. I mean, so do I, but Esme would get distracted by so many different things at once, it was cartoonish. She would find a bug in the apartment and follow it around for about thirty seconds before getting distracted by a shoe. It was entertaining to watch and made for interesting Snapchat stories.
Be Careful Where You Step:
More than once, I would walk out of my bedroom, eyes on my phone, only to trip over Esme. She would just be waiting for me to come out of my bedroom and even days after our dog days were over, I would still find myself expecting her to be laying in front of my bedroom or bathroom door.
The Five Second Rule Doesn’t Apply to Dogs:
Literally, the five second rule isn’t a thing with dogs. Not only would Esme watch me cook, hoping for something to drop, she would lick up crumbs that had been on the floor for who knows how long. Gross, but also admirable.
Spending a weekend with Esme was an adventure. Was it a walk in the park? Not really, but it made me appreciate dog owners more. Dogs are chill and I’m happy whenever I’m around them, but I can’t see myself getting one to take care of forever; I can barely take care of myself, let alone a puppy. But maybe one day I will.
