I’ve been an animal lover and had pets for most of my life, starting with a dachshund when I was around four. As an adult, my husband and I had two dogs and one cat for a number of years. Apparently, I became temporarily insane, because one day I decided the more the merrier and ended up adopting another dog. Then a second cat joined the family.

 

I quickly discovered there’s a delicate balance between just enough pets and one too many. Two dogs and one cat are a good balance. Three dogs and two cats are two too many.

 

To make matters worse our oldest daughter had to move back home for a while and brought along her pets. There were now four dogs and three cats in the house. There were animals everywhere you looked.

 

We also had over 20 chickens at the time, but at least they lived in the chicken coop.

 

Today we’re down to two dogs and two cats, although our oldest daughter’s dog comes over while she’s working. Our youngest also brought home a bearded dragon and crested gecko recently, but I don’t count them because they live in cages.

 

Even so, there’s still so much animal hair in my house I’m drowning in it. The carpet’s coated with it. Pet hair dust bunnies are in every corner and under all the furniture. 

 

I could seriously vacuum every day but I’m not that good of a housekeeper. There’s always pet hair on my clothes. It’s embarrassing when people stop over.

 

Over the years all the pets with the exception of one of the cats have decided I was the pack leader and have followed me everywhere. They trail after me like I’m the pied piper of pets. 

 

No matter what room I’m in they’re all there within a few seconds. If I’m lucky enough to sneak into the bathroom without them they’ll be waiting outside the door when I come out. When I sit in my chair they surround me like loyal subjects. Three of them sleep on our bed.

 

They whine when I have to leave. They howl when they hear my car pull into the driveway. If I go outside without them they cry at the door until they’re let out. If I go inside without them they bark and jump at the door until they’re let in.

 

Whenever anyone needs me they just look for the pets. Where ever they are they know I’ll be. 

 

Our Jack Russell Terrier is the worst. He’s so attached to me he’ll cross the invisible fencing in our yard so he can get to me if I’m outside the boundary. When people don’t believe how bad it is I’ll walk around the kitchen table 10 to 15 times. He’s glued to my ankle every step of the way without fail. 

 

As annoying as pets can be, it breaks my heart when they’re not around to follow me anymore. I know I’m especially going to miss my Jack Russell shadow someday in the not too distant future. He’s almost 14. 

 

And that’s the biggest problem of all with pets. They aren’t around as long as you need them to be.