My puppy dog thinks he is a little boy and my little boy thinks he is a puppy dog

It all started in June of 2009. I had been bugging my husband for months asking for a dog. I wanted something to "mother." Something to snuggle, care for, spoil, and love. For an early birthday present, Lance let me pick out an adorable black mutt. I was in love. He was a sweet, cuddly little dog who was very content to sit in my lap for hours. And hours. Well, needless to say, if you treat a dog like a little boy, he will begin to believe that he is one. I guess somewhere in my heart I knew that. I even used to make fun of people who treated their pets like humans. I can't say I was as bad as some of the stories I've heard. I don't throw my dog birthday parties or dress him up for Halloween. Since I wasn't as bad as some people, I tricked myself into thinking it was okay to let my dog behave as a human. It didn't get really bad until Max got a little brother. He now had competition for Mommy's attention. Now Max the dog believes he has every right to just as much love and attention as his little brother.

So now that you know the back story, let me explain how I came to the conclusion that my dog thinks he is a little boy.

1. He is 40 pounds and loves to sit in my lap. Not next to me. Not at my feet. In my lap.

2. He refuses to go outside to potty in the rain. He would rather hold it for hours than get wet.

3. If he does happen to get a little teeny-tiny drip of rain on him, he flops his entire body on the ground and rolls around until he is completely dry. Doesn't want for his fur to get messed up from the water. We call him a little prince.

4. He tries to trick us by hopping in the bed at night before we catch him so he can sleep in the bed.

5. If he happens to get lucky enough to sleep in the bed, he can't sleep on top of the covers like a normal dog. No, he must sleep underneath the covers. Then, in the middle of the night he has to get up out of the covers to stretch and then get back underneath, nestle down, and go back to sleep. Oh and he has to sleep in-between us.

6. If we don't allow him to sleep with us at night (which I can proudly say we no longer allow) he has to sleep in a crate with a fluffy cushion. He does not lay on the cushion like a normal dog. No, he balls the cushion up in one corner to create a pillow to lay his head.

7. When I get on the floor to play with Caleb, Max squeezes himself in-between the baby and I, and he sticks his nose in my face. He demands my attention.

8. Max has this great, deep guard-dog bark, perfect for scaring off strangers. He doesn't mind using it late at night when squirrels are scurrying past the window. However, if Lance decides to go check out what Max is barking at, he cowardly hides behind my legs and refuses to go outside. Wuss.

So, my dog thinks he is a little boy. Now, let me tell you what makes me think that my little boy thinks he is a dog.

1. I find him with everything in his mouth, including half-eaten dog bones. Yuck.

2. He loves to chew on the soles of my shoes.

3. When crawling across the floor at a fast pace, he begins panting like a puppy dog, especially when excited.

4. His new favorite place to play is the dog crate.

5. His favorite toy is the dog's water bowl, especially when it is filled with water.

I can happily say that Max and Caleb are best friends, even if their roles are a little confused. There is nothing Max loves more than hovering around the highchair at dinner, hoping that his buddy will stick a food covered hand down for a little lick. Caleb is also completely overjoyed to be the recipient of licks and a little friendly wrestling in the floor. I'm glad they are buds. Max is the perfect dog for us, even if he is a little spoiled. And Caleb is a treasure and a joy, and and he always keeps us laughing!