WARNING: A couple of these reasons contain poop, but if you were considering 3 dogs and 2 kids, I think it is important you have all of the facts. So here you have it.
If the dogs haven’t already wrecked it, the kids will. We got all 3 of our fur babies before having actual babies. Raising 3 puppies at different times and trying to have nice things seemed next to impossible. After having kids it seems as though they are conspiring together to destroy the remainder of our unchewed belongings. See our coffee table. The 3 year old put a piece of cheese into the drawer, closed the drawer unbeknownst to me, we left the house, ran some errands, all the while 1 or 2 or perhaps all 3 dogs, worked relentlessly and unsuccessfully to free the cheese.
Water bowls become indoor water tables. In fact the allure of splashing in the water bowl enticed both of my kids to crawl. Any amount of toys can not persuade them to travel in a different direction, not even an actual water table, which ironically, now doubles as a dog water bowl.
Just when you think you are on top of your game, they will set things straight. I worked all day, completing my first week back at work after a 15 month maternity leave. I felt good, but I had had it easy, the hubby had been off that week and running the show at home. He, however, was rushing to leave on a manly camping trip for the weekend, and announces the dog has pooped on the deck as he races out the door. Not a problem, the dog has been sick and I clean up the mess. The kids and I venture off to the park have a lovely time, return home to cook a delicious and nutritious supper, that is happily devoured by both children. I wipe faces and hands and set the kids free to play and turn to tidy up. While washing dishes I reflect on just how great this day has gone. Working full time, enjoying my kids and maintaining the house with a hubby out of town was indeed possible. I had this. And then the 3 year old proclaims “The dog pooped on the deck” “Wait, What?! I cleaned that.” “The poop is on her diaper” I race on to the deck to discover the 1 year old was actually the first one to discover the poop, that had hidden itself behind some patio furniture, and she has covered herself, literally from head to toe, in poop. To make matters worse she hates baths, HATES hates, like screams while clutching the edge of the tub in an attempt to claw her way out sort of hates. She receives the fastest and the soapiest bath in history, and I realize I had brought this upon myself. I had already had it all, choosing to wash dishes was deliberately challenging fate.
Barking. Whether there is a very real threat, such as a package delivery, or a perceived threat such as a squirrel climbing a tree, the result is the same, an impractical amount of passionate yapping. They have no concern for nap time and feed off of each other’s enthusiastic infuriating energy.
“Gentle… I SAID BE GENTLE!” A lesson taught each day as the baby’s kind petting turns into furious fists full of hair.
There is some confusion over whose toys are whose. Dogs chew the kids toys and kids have been known to return the favour.
Travel is not easy. 3 dogs at a kennel is roughly $100 a day (I’m not sure what they charge for 2 kids, joking- only partly), with one dog needing 3 pills 4 times a day and us determined to make this trip happen, we figured it would be easiest to bring them with us. 2 hours into a 3 hour drive, the hubby and I congratulate ourselves on our perfectly timed departure, both the 3 year old and 1 year old have slept for the large majority of it, allowing time for adult music, adult conversations and starbucks sipped in peace. Then IT happens. It creeps over the back seat, makes it’s way over my sleeping babies, and snakes it’s way into the front seat, settling deep inside our nostrils, the unmistakable, overwhelming stench of dog poop. At that point we have 2 options, pull over to deal with the poop and most definitely wake the sleeping kids or keep driving and bear with it. Of course we keep driving, fending off the smell with the perfect balance of air conditioning and positive thinking. The hubby optimistically declares the poop is certainly just that, A poop, I however know better, but choose to believe in that too. 30 minutes later both kids wake up and my fears are confirmed. In a Walmart parking lot, we discard a dog bed and a full container of used diaper wipes, buy a new dog bed, air out the car and carry on.
Or maybe you should because…
You never have to clean up your food messes… ever. With a great deal of competition, sometimes crumbs don’t even hit the floor.
A baby excitedly feeding a dog their treat is one of the cutest things you’ll ever see… even when she’s not supposed to be feeding them the 28th one.
They both get equally tired while playing with the same stick. Seriously.
When you hear barks of joy after the 3 year old managed to maneuver a squeaky toy, drenched with drool, out of the dog’s desperate grasp and you hear her feet drumming down the hall as he chases her, again and again, you admit that it is all worth it.
There are a lot more reasons not to do it lol I’m taking notes.
hahahahah add a warm and full heart to the pros side