Before adopting Ash in the fall of 2011, neither David or I had ever owned a dog before. David was a little bit hesitant at first, but was on board when we made the final decision to apply for Ash. Read our Ash adoption post here! We just recently adopted Pepper as well, who we fell in love with while fostering him. David and I are both huge dog lovers now and couldn't imagine ever going back to life without a dog (or two!) around. We are of course partial to miniature poodles now :)
Here is a picture from when we adopted Ash in 2011. He's so much skinnier, and his fur is way more black! We think our dog needs a diet, or an increased exercise routine.
Anyway, we wanted to devote a blog post to all of the reasons we love being Ash and Pepper's dog parents, and why we love owning a dog in general. They really have changed so many aspects of our lives for the better!! Without further ado, here are the top ten things we love about our doggies (in no particular order):
1. When you walk through the door you are the best and most exciting thing to happen all day and their unbridled happiness always makes you smile (David points out that if I am behind him, his moment of glory only lasts a few seconds).
2. Watching them learn new things, either tricks or new ways to manipulate you for treats/attention. This includes things like nosing your hand to be pet, rolling over to invite a belly rub, learning to lay down, roll over, wait, or shake.
3. Seeing pepper and Ash start to play! It's always super fun to watch our dogs play with each other, by themselves, or with other dogs. Ash and his brother Coal (my mom's dog) have always loved to play, and just recently Ash and Pepper have started to play as well. They chase each other around the house, snitch toys from each other, and wrestle. They also like to snuggle.
Here is our most recent video of Ash and Pepper playing. Just ignore the part where Pepper decides to inappropriately approach Ash...
They also have been caught snuggling more lately.
4. Watching the dogs enjoy being outside. The most rewarding thing we have witnessed so far is Ash playing in water - he loves to swim, frolic on the shore line, and chase balls. We are excited to see how Pepper feels about water this summer, though we won't be surprised if he says "no thank you."
5. Bedtime. Both Ash and Pepper know what it means when you say "you guys wanna go to bed?" and they go scurring into the bedroom to wait to be picked up and put into bed (our bed is too high for them to jump onto). David loves how Ash stands "up" to ask to get on the bed--he'll actually stand on his back two legs to make picking him up easier. Ash also does this really cute thing where he tries to smooth out the covers before sleeping. It's a combination of digging to try and remove wrinkles and biting the bigger rolls and pulling them flat. Pepper is also adorable when he sleeps, and likes to be curled up as close to your head as possible. He is a big "digger" as well (though we are trying to train him out of this because he is aggressive enough we are worried our blankets will turn into tatters), and Pepper always growls at you if he gets nudged while sleeping.
6. Morning time. This is my personal favorite as I get to go through a relaxed morning routine every day with the dogs. I wake up, and if I don't say 'good morning' or put my glasses on the dogs ignore me and continue sleeping (e.g., if I get up to go to the bathroom). But as soon as I say "gooooood morning!" they both leap into action and begin playing with me, the blankets, and each other. It certainly makes mornings much more exciting!
7. Having a constant companion. Because I work from home, these dogs are my company all day long. Ash in particular likes to follow me around. If I'm at my desk, he is usually under the desk or in the chair beside me. If I'm in the kitchen, he lays in the doorway and watches. If I'm in the bathroom, he's in there with me. Today's post was actually inspired by the fact Ash and Pepper went to stay with my mom yesterday because I won't be around next week. I've been home working two days without them, and I keep looking at my feet when I get up, expecting to see my shadows.
Ash under my desk...
... and in the chair next to my desk.
8. Snuggle time. There isn't much better than snuggling up to a warm dog who you can tell is so happy to be close to you. This includes petting them and giving them belly rubs. Pepper in particular is a huge fan of snuggle time.
Ash and Pepper find ways to snuggle even when you don't expect it!
9. Watching them enjoy the day. I think that this one is especially big for us because we adopted rescue poodles who both went through very rough times in their life. Ash spent the first 1-2 years of his life living in stacked, crowded, dark, and dirty cages. The pictures of him when he was first rescued are heartbreaking - his fur is so long and matted. Pepper had a good first several years, but then went through his near death experience with Blastomycosis, so its just as great to see him feeling better and enjoying life again. My favorite examples of them "enjoying the day" are when they watch out the windows.
Ash watching out the window by my desk.
10. Happiness. I think we are both just happier, in ways that are hard to describe, now that we have Ash and Pepper. It's not that we were unhappy before, it's just that we feel even more full of love, affection, and joy now that we have these two little guys. I think this is a result of all of the things mentioned above, as well as just having the unconditional love that a dog gives you,and having another living being to take care of and watch out for. Whatever the reason, we are just so glad to be parents to Ash and Pepper!
Anyway... I highly recommend having a dog :) It will force you to live life a little slower, spend more time outside, and focus a little bit more on love and affection. And if you have an allergy or an aversion to shedding... poodles are a great option!
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