A Substitute for Children?

On Friday, hubby asked me if he thought our dogs were our attempt at filling a void in our life. We do not have any human babies but both want one or two. So far, no luck.

I answered yes. I do think that the dogs fill a void.

He got mad.

I was just being honest though. Having four dogs is wonderful and fun and never dull. But would we have four dogs if we had a kid? Probably not. We might have two…MAYBE 3. But four? Ouch. Adding a kid into the mix would make it more painful and difficult and stressful.

We’re still trying for a non-furry two legged kiddo, even with four dogs. We’ll make due and the dogs won’t get the short end of the stick. They are our babies, after all.

But for the moment, they are filling that void. I get to shower my love and attention on them… okay mostly Trooper but I do love them all.

Instead of soccer practice or T-ball games, I take Trooper to agility twice a week. No little kiddo pictures at my desk at work … it’s me and Trooper or our “family portrait” of hubby, me, Quinn, and Kodiak from a couple years ago.

I’m not sure why it upset hubby to think that the dogs are filling a void in our life. I don’t think our family is complete yet and that’s just how I feel. Will I love our dogs any less when a human kid comes along? Of course not. I want to pass on our love for animals to any rug rat we have.

I know that people think we’re a little nuts with our four dogs and all the attention they get. My mom says that when we have “real” kids that our dogs won’t get as much attention. Hubby and I both think she is wrong.