Why Having a Stupid Dog That Stresses Me Out is Totally Worth It

We walk into the house. Jack the Puppy's in his crate. His crate is full of pillow stuffing. Also, tiny pieces of green rubber. The pillow we'd put under his towel has left this world, but it had company, for the green toy we left him went with it. 

So we're stressed because we're sure we can never leave Jack out of the crate, ever. If he can't survive three hours alone in a crate without going nuts and tearing a ratty old pillow to pieces, what's he going to do to a house? 

And I'm wondering if he's still cute enough for someone to want to take him from the doggy homeless shelter. 

Guess that's what we get for getting a half Jack Russell, half pit bull.

Yeah. Half Jack Russell. Half pit.

"Yeah, one-dollar toys my butt," Katie says as I let Jack free, referencing the bits of rubber everywhere. The teacher at Jack's puppy training school had recommended we get him a bunch of really cheap toys.

"Their nature is to tear things up," he said. "So just get him a bunch of cheap toys while you're gone. Should keep him occupied for plenty long." 

Maybe it's the fact that he's just a puppy. Maybe it's that he's got a pit bull's strength and a Jack Russell's energy. Sweeter than the sweet version of Sour Patch Kids, but sometimes I swear he's on crack. 

Or maybe we're just really bad at being puppy parents. 

What were we thinking? 

We already had one dog, and not just any dog, but a full-blooded Jack Russell Terrier. (That said, he's one of the best Jack Russells you could imagine. Well-behaved as all get-out. Only he thinks he has to fight every dog that's bigger than him, which makes him loud and obnoxious at the dog park. Other than that, best dog ever.)

Traveling is a pain in the ass. Jack also gets carsick. Called the vet before one trip, asked him what to do. Give him half a Dramamine, he said.

Didn't work.

Puke, everywhere. 

Took him to a pet-friendly hotel once. He barked and howled so loud when we left him alone that we felt too terrible about how it must be bothering the other guests that one of us ended up staying in the room pretty much the whole trip, and since we were in Charleston to see my younger brother Kramer be Mr. Professional Baseball Player, by one of us, I mean, The Spectacular Katie. 

Never thought I could get that mad at a dog. And those are just a few examples. 

But then there are the other times. Like how, dumb as he can be, he knows when he's pissed you off, and he wriggles along the floor almost like a snake, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, please let me stay with you. And how he runs around like crazy. And how he's keeping Cooper happy because now Cooper has a buddy to play with whenever he wants—and usually, way more often than he wants, like when he's trying to sleep and Jack jumps on him, looking sort of like a monkey. 

And those are just a few examples of that, too. Yeah, sometimes, we get stressed out over him, but we probably laugh ten times more because of him. 

I know, it's just a dog, just an animal. Yes, life without him would be easier ... but life with him is better. Having him has made Katie and I grow together. There's something healthy about a helping something as complex and stupid as a little puppy grow. Sure, he brings dark thoughts into my brain. But shadows always come from light, and cheesy as I think this sounds, he gives our lives more light.

So if you have something like that in your life that you want to get rid of, something that drive you effin' nuts, give it some thought before you go kick it out. It could be a project, a friend, a job, a relationship ... anything. We too easily believe that life is meant to be lived in the greatest of convenience. It's a character flaw pretty common among us Americans. Our entire society, our economy, is geared around making life as convenient as possible. Microwaves. Laundry machines. Vacuum cleaners. Indoor plumbing.

But just because something is hard doesn't mean it's worth it. Actually, if it's hard, it's probably definitely worth it. 

Jack sure is. 

So, who's got a puppy, or some other such ridiculous animal that we incomprehensible humans actually let live with us? What are your hilarious, awful, unbelievable pet stories?