Let me begin by saying that my preschooler has never known a day without his big brother (5 1/2) and big, furry sister (our 7 1/2-year-old golden retriever). Having spent almost three years together, they are more alike than I ever thought a human and dog could be. Here are my ten favorite similarities beyond their big, sappy, wet eyes.
1. They drink from our water table.
Seeing this last week actually inspired this post. While kicking a ball with my older son, I observed my preschooler leaning over and lapping water up from the water table (I’m sure it was part hose water and part rainwater).
2. They pee outside.
The preschooler is in that ‘sure I could be potty trained, but why?’ phase. The only thing that helps is letting him pee outside. Awesome. I can’t wait to explain that one to his teachers.
3. Their days revolve around food.
Wake up. Food. When do I get more food? Food. When do I get your food? Nap. Snack. Who’s food is that? Dinner. Rest and repeat.
4. They beg for other people’s food.
Beg is a nice term, actually. They both have a thing for pizza and butter. Similarly, I’m pretty sure my preschooler can smell the ingredients in baked goods (zucchini muffins – curse you!) just like dogs.
5. They get super excited when they see the mailman or FedEx truck.
To validate this, our FedEx driver gives out dog biscuits and Amazon packages. I get excited too.
6. They play fetch.
Actually, our dog isn’t nearly as good as my son. She is technically a golden retriever, but we often just say she’s a golden. She retrieves once or twice…if she’s in a lake or pond.
7. They run with their tongues out.
This is just hilarious to watch, especially in slow motion. They basically have theme music playing along with their jaunts.
8. They do almost everything my 5 1/2-year-old asks them to do.
As the big brother, he tells them where to sit, where to go, and what toys they’re allowed to play with. They’re pretty accommodating.
9. They sleep in the weirdest positions.
Butts up. Wedged into a corner. Curled into a fetal position. It makes me uncomfortable to think about.
10. They HATE getting haircuts and nails cut.
This is so mind-boggling to me because these are some of my very favorite things to do. They’re most relaxing, but apparently, I’m the only one who feels that way.
