You’ve heard of the dog days of summer, right? Well, my fiancé and I took that saying quite literally over the past few months.
We already live with our 12-year-old pitbull Rosie, a calm girl who’s more interested in naps and walks than anything else (except for the occasional squeaky toy). But three times this summer, we welcomed energetic puppies into our home to dog-sit for friends. First there was Mr. Pants, a 10-month-old silly, chunky mutt, then there was Bruce, a sweet 6-month-old border collie, and then there was Mr. Pants again. Both dogs were adorable and fun to take care of for a few days, but they also came with challenges. They woke up early, had a few accidents in the house, and loved stealing bites of Rosie’s food when she wasn’t looking.
By the end of each visit, I was sad to see the puppies leave but also grateful to return to life with just one very low-maintenance dog. Rosie doesn’t need much – she sleeps most of the day, rarely barks (unless she sees the mailman), doesn’t chase the cats, and knows our daily routines.
But she wasn’t always that way. Before she was a well-behaved girl, she often ran away, pulled on walks, and didn’t listen well. But with time and a little help from a dog trainer, she grew out of puppyhood and into the dog we adore today.
I can’t help but think this is like parenting, especially during the back-to-school season. The start of the school year can feel like bringing a puppy home. It’s exciting – kids get to be reunited with their friends and experience a new grade level. But it can also be exhausting and emotional – kids may feel reluctant to leave behind the ease of summer for the structure of school, you may dread the stress of packing lunches and checking homework, and you’re both probably not looking forward to waking up early to catch the bus.
If you’re in the thick of back-to-school headaches, you might be wondering if things will ever calm down. If your child will ever remember to brush their teeth without being reminded. If your mornings will ever feel like something other than a frantic race against the clock. And based on what I learned from spending a lot of time with puppies this summer, I can say that the answer is yes, it gets better but probably not right away.
But eventually, kids learn the morning routine. They remember to pack their lunch box. They adjust to a new schedule. They grow into themselves, and you both grow into the back-to-school season.
So, if things feel chaotic right now, give it time. Kids and puppies are a handful at first, but with time, patience, a little training, and a whole lot of love, they eventually grow into a well-behaved version of themselves that doesn’t need much – just like Rosie. And if you ever find yourself missing the early days of parenting, you can always dog-sit a puppy or two to remember what it’s like.
