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David Butler and Bear
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Bear & Tater, Best Friends
David Butler's Newfoundland puppy and his best buddy, Tater, an English Bulldog puppy of the same age...though NOT the same size. Get 'em, Tater!
I used to chuckle when people told me, “Oh, you have no idea about having kids until you have them.” Sure I do! Who doesn’t know that although kids are cute, they are also a lot of work? That’s why you get a dog to practice before having a kid, right?!
Well, for the first time in 16 years I have a new puppy, and I had forgotten just how much “work” that involves. Bear is 12 weeks old. Now I can understand how couples decide to have their first child, but how they decide on additional siblings is a mystery to me.
Not that anyone is asking, but if I were going to give advice to first-time parents, I’d sit them down in comfy chairs, hand them a beer or pour some wine and tell them how I see it: babies and puppies are a lot alike.
Both are messy! Whether it’s Pampers for the baby or “Little Stinker” puppy protection pads for the puppy, you’re gonna be the one cleaning up! At least with the baby, you KNOW where the “accident” is located. There are no surprises waiting for you around the bedroom corner.
Both are dirty! Kids get food all over themselves and it doesn’t matter how often you wipe them down after eating, crumbs turn up everywhere. Same goes for puppies. There’s nothing like sitting on the couch and finding a half eaten dog treat in the crack of the sofa. At least the baby won’t find a dead possum and roll in it, then want to rub up against you.
Both are moochers! Babies have to be fed every couple of hours. Puppies, every couple of minutes--at least that’s what my puppy seems to think!
Both never sleep when you want them to! Everyone knows that new parents usually get very little sleep until their baby is sleeping through the night. In the case of my puppy, sleep is for losers! Oh, he may nap a little during the day while I’m out working, but come nightfall, he turns into Cujo! To make things worse, he hasn’t yet learned how to go up and down the stairs, so I have to carry him out to do his “business” twice during the night. I haven’t slept 6 hours in row in more than a month! I feel like one of the zombies on The Walking Dead.
My friends, Matt and Beth Lemke are first-time parents expecting twins. I wonder if they’d like a puppy for practice!
To get an idea of Bear's true size, watch the accompanying video of him playing with his best buddy, Tater, an English Bulldog who is the same age.
