I never wanted to buy a dog.
I am not a dog person.
A dog is a liability.
I want to do many things in life, but don’t have time to become a father again.
I wasn’t alone. My wife and I were on the same page. However, my 10-year-old Son persisted for three years.
“I want someone who can always play with me.”
“You have to pick-up the poo. Are you ready?”
The POO weapon worked for more than a year. He was ready to deal with that as well.
“Ok, no more watching Netflix when you come from school.”
He agreed to that and a few other terms.
I had no more excuses.
Let’s give it a try.
I can’t time travel to my childhood, but my Son’s childhood is now.
We bought an 8-week Cavoodle puppy.
His name is Archie.
It’s going to be a month with Archie.
A lot has changed in our lives.
The apparent change is in our freedom.
We haven’t dined in a restaurant or visited friends in the last month.
I woke up a few times in the first week.
We cannot leave Archie unsupervised because he is super curious. He loves to chew wires and sofa corners.
Sometimes, he would put a small stone in his mouth and run wild. I had to chase him and remove the stone from his mouth.
Archie keeps biting because he is teething, which makes us uncomfortable. We had to learn various redirecting techniques to deal with the issue.
It’s a temporary phase.
We are getting comfortable touching different parts of Archie’s body.
We bond and adapt to Archie every single day.
Archie’s sleep routine is not bad. I have only woken up once at night for the past two weeks.
Archie is growing, and so is his bladder! He loves to eat and seems to be a foodie like me.
Our house has dog food and treats, and it smells peculiarly odorous. I am still adapting to the smell in my consciousness.
We have installed a barricade in the dedicated corner of the house.
I spent hours installing frames in the garden so Archie could not swim in the dirt or eat stones.
We have a medium-sized crate to train Archie during the day.
Archie sleeps inside a small crate during the night. We also use it for car travel.
We also installed a child door at the stairs to restrict Archie’s territory upstairs.
We have joined a 6-week puppy school to train him. I found it’s training for us too.
We learned many tactics and strategies.
Calling “Archie” and looking into his eyes, followed by a delicious treat, makes him believe in his name. It’s a wonderful experience.
I feel like writing a new parenting software code on a blank slate.
We have shifted training gear to develop Archie’s independence. He should be fine if we leave him in the house for hours.
We are also installing a pet door for Archie. So he can go out and in whenever he wants for his needs.
The crate training is harsh because we must isolate him and let him cry. He cried for 25 minutes while I was sitting on the stairs, out of his sight.
It was painful. But that’s the only way.
A caterpillar has to go through intense pain to transform into a butterfly.
Training a puppy is tough, but it’s the best option because you can train it however you want.
It’s a big responsibility, especially since my wife and I experienced infancy a decade ago.
We have many joyful moments in the family when Archie does silly things. He has ignited a positive vibe in the house.
My Son’s screen time has been reduced by 70%. He spends more time playing and looking after himself, which makes me feel good because he builds empathy with someone with emotion, not a bloody smartphone!
Archie does not bark, but I sense his inner voice in his silence.
Archie does not talk, but I see more expression in his eyes.
Archie does not listen to me sometimes. It makes me angry.
Archie runs toward me whenever I come home. It makes me feel emotional.
Archie is a bittersweet symphony.
Archie has changed my perspective.
A dog is a liability and an asset.