How Diesel Trains Us

I cannot count how many times over the last 3 years I've said "Diesel is great practice for a baby" and truly meant it.  There have probably been times that I've said "A baby has got to be easier than this dog"  I feel like I have good reason for thinking he's been great practice for us and this isn't because we treat him like a baby, which we totally do. Danny legit rocks him sometimes and the other night I caught him singing to him. It's whatever.

This wasn't the other night when he was singing. Just a random night Danny was holding Diesel.

Life with our fur baby has been realistic glimpse into life with a baby-baby, just on an easier scale. 
1. If mom and dad want a night out on the town, we have to arrange for a babysitter. That use to require me driving an hour to my moms, then an hour back home to go out with my friends. That was a lot of work. Its frowned upon if you leave your dog locked up in the house for 12+ hours and even worse if you leave your child unattended for that long.

2. Next is how I am a single mom 9-10 days a month when Danny is at the fire department.  I may be tired, have a headache, or not want to do anything, but that doesn't mean Diesel won't puke on the carpet or go roll in a dead animal and need me to drop whatever I am doing (or not doing I guess) to clean up his mess or give him a bath. I think I've told Danny something like this before " I had to clean goose shit off him last night, you go feed him" I foresee a "I cleaned a diaper blow out at 2:48 a.m. this morning, you can change the wet diaper" Because shit storms only happen when Daddy is at work.

3. It's Diesel's world and we're just living in it. Prime example is the furniture in the living room. When we bought our new couches back in February, we wanted a sofa with an ottoman so if we wanted the whole fam (Danny, Diesel and me) to be able to sit together, we could. Danny could half way lay down, I could put my feet up and Diesel could lay on the ottoman. Diesel can also sit on the love seat across the room if he wanted. So yeah, Danny and I have to share a sofa, but Diesel gets an entire loveseat in addition to his ottoman. Well, Diesel doesn't want the ottoman. He wants the middle cushion on the sofa between me and Danny.  What Diesel wants, Diesel gets and I have a feeling that what Baby wants, Baby is gonna get too. It's their world and Danny and I are just livin it. We often joke that we bought Diesel a house and we just get to live here.

4. Diesel is notorious for noticing when I am running late and having to go outside. Magically, on this trip outside he has to sniff the 6 bushes twice, pee, lay down on the porch just letting the breeze blow his ears around, then go poop. I stand at the door and think to myself, "if this baby is anything like his brother, I'm sure I'll get him ready the leave, he'll shit up his back and then puke on me"

5. I've saved the best for last folks. This happened a couple Sundays ago. It was the morning after the wedding I was in so I was pretty much exhausted.  It was around 7:30 and Danny was awake sitting on the couch watching tv and I am in bed enjoying another couple hours of snoozing. Diesel prances into our room, sits on my side of the bed, and proceeds to whine letting me know he needs to go outside.  Completely bypassing the fact that his father is sitting on the couch, AWAKE, and fully capable of letting him out. Danny calls for him and goes and lets him out and I fall back asleep. About an hour later, Diesel comes to me again and starts whining. Danny calls for him and Diesel goes and sits in the living room just staring at him for a few seconds, then runs back to our room to pester me some more. I give in and get out of bed and make my way towards the door. Guess who doesn't want to go outside? Diesel.  The dog wanted me out of bed! That was it. Plain and simply wanted his mom out of bed. Sweet. Remember how I said I play a single mom 9-10 days a month? Well, Diesel forgets that 20-30 days a month his dad his home and can cater to him too. I have a feel this will carry over to the little 2 legged child too.

I tell all of my friends who are in serious relationships to get a puppy. Don't get a dog... get a puppy. You can tell a lot about your partner by the way they treat the puppy and also by the way they train and deal with behavior issues.

I love my Diesel and I wouldn't trade any part about him for anything in the world.  He has been the best dog that Danny and I could ever ask for and he seriously brightens our world. He will always be my baby, even when I have a real baby in a few months.