Five for Friday: Five Ways That Getting A Dog Has Changed Our Lives {Massachusetts Family Pet Photographer}

In the fall of 2015, we decided to get a dog.  It probably started off as a joke, then quickly escalated into calling a breeder, driving to Upstate New York to meet our new pup, taking her home five weeks later, and potty training in frigid temps.

Over the last two years, we have come to realize that we are no longer in charge.  Maggie runs the house.  Here are five ways that our life has changed since this beautiful Goldendoodle moved in:

1.  We walk a lot.

This dog wants to go for a walk all the time.  Derek and I each walk her before school. She gets walked after school.  She gets walked in the evening. When she is bored, she lets us know. I think that she says "WOOK!" when she wants to go for a walk.  It's a different bark than normal.

2.  We spend a lot of time outside.

This dog doesn't really care what the weather is. She wants to be outside.  We walk in the snow, the rain, the heat, and the humidity.  She loves to sit on the deck and watch the cars go by and doesn't understand why we don't do that with her in winter.  She wants to kick around the soccer ball in the mud.  She stands by the door and sneezes when she wants to go out.

3.  We cannot have nice things.

We thought we would get some nice new furniture when the kids were older.  It will be about ten more years before that's going to happen. 

4.  We lost our ability to be spontaneous.

We used to do things like to go the beach all day and go out to dinner after.  We drove to New York City for a day.  We could hop in the car and take off on a road trip.  Doing these things requires a lot more planning and coordinating.

5.  We are loved.

Every day, when we come home we get the greeting of a lifetime.  If only people greeted each other with the same enthusiasm that our dog welcomes us home each day....

She's a great dog and she's changed our lives in so many positive ways.  

If you have a dog, how has your life changed?  Comment below!

Cara