The very first post I wrote for MomJovi explained our heartbreaking decision to put our two beloved dogs to sleep. If posts could have tear stains, that one would barely be readable. We cried and cried for the weeks leading up to E (euthanasia) Day and for weeks afterwards. It was, in a word, gut-wrenching (OK, maybe that’s two words).

Next weekend will be one year already since we lost Homer and Lucy. And would you believe that there’s not a week that goes by that E. doesn’t ask us when they’re coming back from the doctor’s? I’ve probably given her a lifelong fear of sending loved ones off to the doctor. But she was barely 2 years old and we didn’t know how to explain death to her yet. In a moment of weakness and sadness, I just said they were going to the doctor’s and have had to live with that bad decision ever since.

I’ve tried telling her that they are in heaven with her grandmothers but she’s convinced that they’re just still at the doctors. When we meet people with dogs at parks, she STILL tells them that she has two doggies at home. Poor, delusional child.

She also happens to be a bit of a dog whisperer. She’s obsessed with them so much, and I know sooner rather than later, she’ll launch a full-court press to beg us to get another one.

Honestly, though, I don’t know that DadJovi and I are ever going to be ready to endure that pain again. Losing them was so, so, so tough. Plus, now that they’re gone, I do have to admit that it’s nice not having the vet bills (Lucy had really bad ears that cost us thousands in ear surgeries), having to worry about them when we travel or sweeping the floors every single day to keep up with the dog hair and tracked-in dirt.

But we may have just discovered the next best thing — dog sitting!

That’s Toby. How sweet is that face? Toby belongs to my father-in-law’s girlfriend. The two of them just took a 16-day trip to Europe (hate them) and we basically demanded that they leave Toby with us instead of boarding him.

E. was instantly in love. She was so proud to walk him around the neighborhood.

And she was really good about helping me feed him, let him out into the yard, play with him, brush him and mostly just love him. To pieces.

Toby won over someone else, too.

Sadly, last night, it was time for Toby to go home. We were all pretty bummed. He was such a good doggie. He’s 3 years old, so he’s still playful but he’s fully housebroken and able to chill by himself all day while we were at work. And I forgot how nice it is to have a dog snuggle up next to you in bed and give you sweet little puppy kisses.

I think I could get on board with giving dog parenting another try but I think it’s going to take a lot of convincing to bring DadJovi over to our side. I think I’ll just stick my secret weapon on him — Daddy’s little girl. Could you say no to this?

Do you have a dog? Are your kids as dog crazy as ours? Have you ever lost a pet and were you able to get another one?