The finer things in life.

I am the proud mother of two amazing little puppies: a 3 year old pug, affectionately named Barbara by her father (as an homage to the character from The Night of the Living Dead) and a scrappy 1 year old Brussels Griffon called Benson.  They have more toys than they know what to do with, yet Benson appears to have a love for expensive things.  Love, in this case, is defined as an incessant need to devour. 

Yes, my dog refuses to chew on just anything. While his sister gnaws sweetly on her pink flamingo (appropriately named Misses Flam Flam), Benson cannot resist the delicious scent of gently tanned leather, in the form of brand new boots, that I forgot to return to the  safety of the closet.  Until recently, I simply couldn't understand why he would choose anything over his own plush and micro-fill animals, countless Denta-bones--even the bright red Kong lying forgotten, under the coffee table.  

Then it hit me:  Ben wasn't your average easily amused puppy.  He had bigger dreams and to my horror, these dreams involved chewing cowhide and other animal parts. I went to a pet supply store in the city and mentioned that the little one would not stop with the chewing of my fine leather goods.  The owner seemed completely aware of this "epidemic" and suggested what he called the "most popular and effective dog chew this store has ever sold."  It was a dried up, curled intestine and I felt completely nauseous at the thought, but I needed to support my sons decisions.  I paid my $12.99 and traipsed home, clutching the brown paper bag like it were the Holy Grail.

The intestine was a hit…for about 20 minutes, until it unraveled and transgressed to its original state on my living room floor.  Frustrated, I grabbed the Kong and tossed it into the room, remarking something along the lines of, "This stupid rip off toy is useless." 

And something amazing happened:  Benson ran after it, bringing it back to me a couple of times before settling down next to me on the couch, engrossed in the piece of plastic like it was the newest pair of Chanel stilettos.  I know it doesn't sound like rocket science.  All pet owners should know that having one in your life requires a lot of time and energy, but it's easy to let that slide sometimes.

The reality is, just like a child, all your pets really want is your time. Take the time to play with your furry loved one.  No wonder toy or expensive contraption can replace a game of fetch, a rousing toss of a catnip ball or a good scratch under your feathered friend's wings.  Benson still loves expensive things from time to time, but he has learned to appreciate the simple things in life…or maybe it was his mommy learning that when your pets aren't getting all the attention they deserve, no one wins.

Thanks for checking out Bad Dog Blog.  If you have stories or photos of your own naughty (but well loved) pets, please feel free to drop me a line!

Until next week,

Stay bad,

Chonny