But I'm especially mystified by people whose children are self-sustaining and who then decide to get a dog.
Dogs, more than most pets, are emotionally bonded to their owners in much the same way toddlers are welded to their parents. And both a toddler and a dog need constant surveillance ("No, not the bushes!"), firm training ("Stop or you'll have a time-out!"), and both frequently ruin a good conversation with their supersized egos ("I wanted to tell you...yes, darling, of course I'm watching you, my little wuzza-wuzza").
True, feeling loved, anchored and needed, whether by a person or a pet, is compelling, but on the other hand, I can take off to Tahiti (yeah, well, if I had money for the ticket) without fretting about the mental and physical well-being of my dog, not to mention having to come up with sizable kennel fees.
I'm not about to withdraw from the caring world -- indeed, I don't think I'm capable of it -- but for the first time in decades, I'm content figuring out what I need, not what's needed from me, by kids or dogs.
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