The Most Devoted Family Member

"He likes me!  He really, really likes me!"

I hope you read that in your best euphoric Sally Field voice.  Who is "he", you might wonder?  Yep - you guessed it!  The dog!

I have never seen such devotion in another being!  This dog is happy to simply be in my presence.  Why he is so happy to be with me is unclear, but it is rather sweet.  Two examples:

Yesterday I brought home the crew after school (minus one daughter, plus a son's friend).  I pulled into the driveway, then headed down to get the mail.  As I approached the bottom of the driveway, I saw a bag laying on the ground.  Upon closer inspection, I realized it was a tied grocery bag, full of dog poo.  That is how we live now, people.  Bags of dog poo tied off in our driveway.  After a moment, I saw my husband and eldest daughter rounding the bend on a walk with the dog and realized the dog poo bag was not to be a permanent fixture, thankfully.  As my husband approached with Shadow, he (the dog, not my husband) began pulling at the leash, going crazy to get to me.  He jumped up and loved me in his best doggie way (snowy, wet paws and all).  After a few moments, my husband wanted to continue his walk, but poor Shadow really, really wanted to come inside with me. Since the dog needed the exercise, my husband kept walking him.  He pulled and strained at the leash, desperate to come back to me.  All the way around the block, my husband reported later, Shadow pulled and pulled to get home.


This morning, Saturday, all three boys were up slightly before 6 am.  On a school day, two of these boys don't want to get out of bed at 6:30. But on a Saturday?  Please!  They might miss something if they don't get up ASAP!  I certainly don't need to get up with them anymore, but even though they were quiet, my husband and I, and the dog, heard them get up.  Having much work to do today, my husband got up soon after, and the dog eventually followed him down, hoping for breakfast.  In an effort to let me sleep in a bit, my husband shut the gate at the top of the stairs (a remnant from our baby/toddler days - sniff!), and placed a gate also at the bottom of the stairs.  After some time, I drifted off for a few minutes, only to be awakened by persistent whining and whimpering at the bottom of the stairs.  I finally admitted defeat, got up, and opened the top gate.  My daughter opened the bottom gate and the dog bounded up the stairs, hysterical with joy just to be near me!  I'm telling you - not even my children are this happy to see me!  I petted him and told him what a good dog he was etc. etc., and then decided maybe I would just lay down for a moment longer, to put off the cleaning I must do this morning.  Shadow happily licked my hand and lay down next to me on the floor, content.

Is this normal?  Does everyone's dog have one person they are so attached to?  It's equal parts hilarious and endearing.  He's a mamma's boy!