It's not the dog's fault

            When did dogs become less of a dog and more of a human? You know what I mean, don't you? In today's world, dogs wear clothes, get groomed once a month, eat at bakeries with dog-friendly treats, have puppy playdates, qualify for health insurance, and even have their own Instagram handles. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to say those who treat their dogs less like pets are ridiculous or stupid. And I'm not trying to brush off the fact that a majority of the "influencers" I follow are that of the fuzzy kind. And I'm absolutely not trying to make it sound like I don't partake in treating my dogs like my biological children because I 100% do. I'm simply questioning how and when this transpired.

            Let me know if you relate, but I had a dog growing up, a real dog named Cody. Cody would bark, which was praised because it meant he was protecting the house; he would spend most of his time outside because we didn't want him tracking in dirt or shedding too much in the house, and he ate whatever and was always okay. Minus that time when I gave him a cookie with rainbow sprinkles on it, he immediately threw up. But it was outside, and father said, "He's fine. He got it out of his system". We even gave that dog an entire chicken carcass every Friday night. That is until we stopped having Friday night family dinners, then it became once a year, but instead of a chicken carcass, it was a turkey. I can remember only two times where that dog got treated like a human; 1- he slept in my bed at night, and 2- my dad put a Band-Aid on his ear when he sliced it open on a rose bush. We loved that dog, and he loved all of us so much. He ended up living a wonderful and healthy 17 years. 

            Now, I have two little dogs, who I treat the exact opposite of my childhood dog. I call a friend, who is a vet tech, every time I have even the slightest concern, similarly to my mom, who had the pediatrician's number on speed dial. I carry an epi-pen for the dog who is allergic to chicken and bees, and I have multiple clothing options for the other who can't function at night because she gets too cold. I'm not going to lie; I question my sanity every time I put a party hat on my dogs, light the birthday candles on their dog edible birthday cake, and sing them happy birthday. I recently overheard someone saying, "they don't make dogs like they used to," and at that moment, I agreed. Although now I think it might be less about the dogs and more about the owners. We might have become too soft when it comes to our fur babies; what do you think?

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