Dogs are like Kids...

I've come to the conclusion, after having a few people ask me about whether they should get a dog for their family, that dogs are a lot like kids. Sometimes I can't imagine our home without Harley. Asher and Eli seriously play with him all day. He takes their abuse (usually unintentional) in stride. The boys hang onto and hug that dog constantly. It's nice to walk in the house and have someone so extremely happy to see you. It's a boost to the self-esteem to have a dog almost injure himself as he jumps around so much because he's so excited to see you. The boys use Harley as a pillow on a regular basis- there is just enough room for both Eli and Asher's head to fit on his body. I sleep much better on the nights Scott is away knowing that Harley will bark if anyone is in the yard or house. But then Harley does something he shouldn't, i.e., eat a dozen just-boiled eggs off the counter; eat 2 pounds of grilled chicken; puke up something he shouldn't have eaten; have a potty accident on the carpet; put nose prints all over the just-washed windows; mess up the rug (which I gave up trying to straighten after I realized it was happening over 100 times a day) with all of his running around; pooping in any place outside other than his assigned "potty spot"; jump around like crazy when people come over to the house; when he gets outside without his collar that keeps him on our yard and goes running in the neighborhood and horse pen (and rolls in horse poop); etc. Or when it's time to go on vacation and we have to pay for boarding- EXPENSIVE!!!

Just like kids, at moments you can't imagine loving them anymore, and then within seconds you want to strangle them. It's a bi-polar experience, but I think the good outweighs the bad. I don't know about other people and their families getting dogs, but as for my family and Harley himself- we're a perfect match.

Harley's favorite sleeping spot, in front of the bay window...

...sleeping with his stuffed animal.  Like the other boys, Harley loves snuggling with his animals.

When Asher is tired, he finds Harley to lay down and sleep by.

Harley didn't move for almost 2 hours while Asher slept by him.  Oh, the love a boy has for his dog!