New Take on an Old Theory

Back again!  For the past few days my husband and I had an opportunity to visit our friends up in the White Mountains in Arizona over the 4th of July. I love going there because it reminds me in many ways of being back east. Some things there were new this year but the best new addition is their Yorkshire puppy, Teddy.

Our friends have no children so Teddy is the closest heartbeat they can enjoy that shares many attributes of a small child. One of these is energy.
There is definitely a reason child rearing is best done when one is young and that includes rearing a puppy.  For example, early one morning three of us were on the front porch enjoying the cool breezes, a cup of coffee and reading.  The silence was broken only by the finches that chose to circle around our house. However, Teddy was unable to be still. He listened to the birds unable to chase any; roamed around the porch; pushed his head between the log railing greeting passersby and jumped up on our laps giving each of us a turn at his incredible charm.  The pup never stood still or sat for the entire time we were there.
Later in the day, Teddy gave the men a chance to out play him...ha! That pooch would retrieve whatever toy he chose after it was thrown his way and continue on until the adults were just plain tired of throwing.  It wasn't like they had to get up to throw the toy, for the dog would bring it as close as he could get it to his playmates.  No, the adults tired of just throwing! Another time the grown men chased this five pound explosion of energy around a chair.  You guessed it! The dog never tired.
Since we had had a Yorkie like this one, we were well aware of his bundled energy that displayed so charmingly on its "parents." Although we are older now than when we had our Dickens, Teddy's personality and charm exhibits the same. And while keeping up with Teddy definitely took energy on our part, the excitement never grew old.
We used to say one of the best ways of preparing to be a parent was to raise a dog.  I suppose it can now be said that to prepare for grandchildren, one needs to renew the energy needed to cope with puppies. However in the case of children something is always new!