Yes, he chews on his name tag sometimes when he needs something to do.
Every night Jack curls up in his bed.
Yes, it’s his puppy crate, and he adores it. When I say goodnight he’s usually asleep on his back. If I try to take a picture, he’ll open one eye and give me the glare. He feels safe and cozy in that little nest and won’t settle unless the door is closed. That’s been his sleeping spot since he came to live with us. (Shh—he has a pink blanket; he doesn’t know colors yet.)
In the morning Jack wakes up rowdy, energetic, and cheerful.
His day usually starts with a car ride to take his boy to school. He loves that part of the morning. From then on, every day is an adventure.
He loves exploring the neighborhood, though he’s easily distracted.
One furry paw after another, he sets off to see what the day will bring.
Jack is always hunting for fun—pine cones, starfish, and, yes, trouble. Most days include at least a dozen alarming moments when someone has to fish a remote, Lego, toothbrush, homework, or even a bill from his mouth.
He usually knows better, but his curiosity wins out. He likes testing boundaries and seeing how we’ll react. He completed puppy school, though he probably deserves a repeat—maybe a specialized program for intensely curious dogs.
Recently he hauled a whole potted plant from the deck into the family room and dumped dirt across the carpet—he thought it was great. He also once barreled toward the deck without noticing the screen door. Luckily it wasn’t the glass one.
On Monday we’re finally installing a full fence around the yard so Jack can run freely this summer. We’re all excited. Without the fence we’d likely catch him doing things like this:
There’s no logical explanation for some of his antics.
Why does he chew his bone while lying on his back? We don’t know. He just enjoys every minute.
Sometimes he lounges on the uncovered white sofa—our Pottery Barn couch without slipcovers—because the covers are often in the wash thanks to him. We even stash the cushions in another room so he won’t try to pull the foam out while the slipcovers are off.
It’s fortunate we have washable white slipcovers we can bleach—otherwise the upholstery would be a nightmare to keep clean. We end up washing slipcovers several times a week.
We try to keep Jack on the floor, but he considers himself part of the family. No one else is required to stay on the floor, and certainly no one puts Jack in the corner.
He gets impatient and makes funny faces when he realizes we’re photographing him, but he thinks he’s a celebrity and is used to the attention.
His favorite spot is the leather ottoman. He tosses toys everywhere and then naps there. He even tries to share popcorn while we watch TV.
Jack is a little odd, but we love him.
Sometimes Jack and his boy share the ottoman together. Those moments remind us why we have Jack: his goofy attempts to squeeze in beside his kid make the mess, the fuss, and the expense worth it.
Jack is part of our family.
The end.
Do you have a crazy pet like Jack? Share a funny story in the comments—we could all use a laugh.