Regrets and Lessons

Dear Floofy Column – August 2015

Dear Floofy,

Some days I think I am the greatest pet parent on the planet. Other days, I wonder if I’m doing a good enough job. Do you ever have days when you feel this way? And how do you deal with it?

Sincerely, 

Questioning My Choices

Dear Questioning,

It goes without saying that struggles are part of pet parenting and life! Remember when your now senior pooch was a puppy and chewed through a box of old photos that couldn’t be replaced? Or the time you got delayed and didn’t get home in time for your after-work walk and there was a puddle and an embarrassed dog waiting for you? Floofy remembers crying on the floor at childhood photos with teeth prints in the center of people’s faces. But, Floofy knew she left the pictures where a curious puppy could get to them.

Floofy recently took her little red floofin to the vet for an annual wellness visit. Floofy stays on top of these exams and feels like a good pet parent because of it. However, despite following almost all of the sound advice she gets, Floofy has a very expensive dental surgery scheduled because she let her dog have deer antlers. And elk bones. And cow bones.  Floofy let the little red floofin chew on pretty much anything she desired. And now, well, little red floofin has two broken teeth and $1,000 bill upcoming to remove them.

Did Floofy feel bad? Yes. Was she advised not to give hard chews to her floofin? Yes. But, when your pooch enjoys something so thoroughly, it is hard to say no. And so, Floofy took solace in knowing that her vet, a well established medical practitioner, had done the same thing with the same results. When even your doctor has made the same error, Floofy knows you throw out the old bones and get out the new Kongs.

Because in life, dear Questioning, that’s the best we can do. Floofy encourages you to throw out those old bone decisions that make you doubt your pet parenting skills, and look for the peanut butter inside the new Kong that is ahead of you!

Puppy Kisses,