Yes—when Jack gets bored he chews his name tag while wearing his collar. It amuses him.
Every night Jack sleeps in his bed. Yes, it’s his puppy crate, and he adores it. When I say goodnight he’s usually fast asleep on his back. If I try to take his picture he opens one eye and gives me a glare. He feels safe in his little nest and won’t settle unless the door is closed. It’s been his sleeping spot since he joined our family. And no—don’t tell him the blankie is pink; he doesn’t know colors yet.
In the morning Jack wakes up rowdy, energetic, happy and ready for the day. He always starts the morning by riding in the car to take his boy to school—one of his favorite parts of the day.
Every day is an adventure for Jack. He loves exploring the neighborhood, although he’s easily distracted. One furry foot in front of another and he’s off to see what the day brings.
Jack is always hunting for fun items—pine cones, starfish, and, more often than not, trouble. Most days include at least twenty semi-alarming moments when someone has to fish a remote, a LEGO, a toothbrush, homework, or a bill out of his mouth.
He usually knows better but loves testing boundaries and seeing how we react. He finished puppy school, though I suspect he could use a refresher—maybe a special intensive class for curious dogs.
Recently he dragged an entire potted plant from the deck into the family room and dumped soil across the carpet—thrilling, in his book. Fortunately the screen door stopped him from barreling through glass when he ran out to fetch it.
This coming Monday we’re installing a full fence so Jack can run free in the yard all summer. We can’t wait. Until then he finds ways to keep busy:
There’s no real explanation for some of his antics. Why he chews a bone while lying on his back, for example—we don’t know. But he enjoys every moment.
Yes, sometimes he lounges on the sofa without the slipcovers. Lately the white slipcovers spend a lot of time in the wash thanks to Jack’s messes and curiosity. We even move cushions to another room to prevent him from pulling out the foam while they’re off. Having washable slipcovers makes life much easier because otherwise the couch would be a disaster to clean.
Although we encourage Jack to stay on the floor, he considers himself part of the family and refuses to be left out. No one puts Jack in a corner.
He gets impatient and makes hilarious faces when he realizes we’re photographing him, but he behaves like a celebrity and is used to the attention.
Jack’s favorite spot is the leather ottoman. He tosses toys everywhere, then naps and rests on top of it. Sometimes he even watches TV with us and tries to steal our popcorn.
Sometimes Jack and his boy squeeze onto the ottoman together. Those cozy, silly moments are exactly why we tolerate the fuss, the mess, the antics and the expense.
Jack is part of our family. He drives us crazy and makes us laugh. We wouldn’t have it any other way.
The end.
Have you ever had a crazy pet like Jack? Share a funny story about your pet’s antics in the comments—we’re ready to laugh. Ready, set, COMMENT.