BossLady and I were hanging out last night, feeling extremely guilty about how little love that MetroDog has been given since the birth of the Peanut. Before the Peanut was born, it's safe to say that MetroDog was our first child. He slept in our bed with us, watched TV with us, and even travelled around the world with us. The three of us were practically inseparable.
Together, we would go for long hikes in Central Park almost every day and, on weekends, we'd cruise all over the city together. Hell, we even used to arrange play dates for him so he could hang out with some fellow Frenchies. I'm almost embarrassed to admit it now but, on his birthdays, BossLady and I would always throw him picnics in the park...complete with veal shanks from the butcher, some doggie ice cream, and a special birthday present.
We were discussing tonight about how cool and weird MetroDog is. He's the friendliest pooch around. He loves people and, more importantly, absolutely loves babies. When BossLady was pregnant, we were a little nervous about how'd he react to a new member of the family.
The first night after Peanut was born, I came home with her baby blanket and introduced her scent to MetroDog. Things didn't get off to a good start when I returned home the next day and found the blanket shredded to pieces. But when Peanut came home for the first time, MetroDog was the perfect elder sibling. He knew to be gentle with her and was instinctively protective of her. They got along famously from the start and continue to have a very entertaining relationship.
It's ridiculously adorable watching the two of them together. She loves walking him around the apartment and feeding him snacks. He loves licking her feet and sniffing her butt. Sometimes, BossLady and I will hear them in the next room, chasing each other around and laughing their asses off together.
MetroDog...We love you, dude. This post is for you. Now that you have a younger non-canine sibling, I promise that I'll try to save you from BossLady on Halloween. I can't promise anything for sure but I'll definitely try, my friend.
After all, I know that you never really forgave us for that whole bumblebee incident back in 2004 (and, for that matter, the birthday hat incident of 2003.) Sorry, dude!
You know, I'd keep an eye on BossLady, they say cruelty to animals is one of the key signs to violently sociopathic behavior. Wait, she's Korean right? Come to think of it, I'm surprised the FBI Violent Criminal Apprehension Program doesn't monitor all Korean women. I guess snide statements like that are why I'm single.
Posted by: Mike | March 20, 2006 at 12:58 PM
Too funny, MD. Before the birth of our kids, the wife used to dress our dog up in all kinds of silly costumes. Now? She torments the kids. In fact, last year, one of our kids was dressed in almost the same exact bumblebee costume as metrodog. I'll have to email you the pics.
Posted by: Stephen | March 20, 2006 at 01:03 PM
Would he really, truly be a Metro Dog if he *didn't* work the extreme hats, fully co-ordinated outfits (Stripes! Dude! What's more metro than stripes?) and au courant goggles?
Posted by: Her Bad Mother | March 20, 2006 at 01:13 PM
The Lone Ranger and Tonto. Perfect halloween costumes for The Peanut and her loyal sidekick, MetroDog.
Posted by: DP | March 20, 2006 at 01:43 PM
Why am I NOT surprised that you guys have a cool dog? Metrodog is a great-looking frenchie! We had a pug many years ago and looking at these pictures brought back a lot of old memories.
Posted by: Brent | March 20, 2006 at 01:54 PM
Oh my GOSH - MetroDog is adorable! You guys are one good lookin' family!
I'm glad he got along with Peanut once she came home from the hospital because I can't tell you how many dogs are brought to the pound when things don't work out.
My future dogs had better watch out because I don't plan on having children, and therefore my pups are going to end up sporting cute t-shirts, hats, etc. all around DC!
Posted by: Liberal Banana | March 20, 2006 at 02:01 PM
I have four pups between 20 and 85 lbs and all "sporting" breeds. When I brought home the child for the first time, they thought I had brought them the perfect new chew toy. It moved, made sound and smelled funny. What more can you ask for. My wife, being the typical mother, went to get the camera. Luckly in the picture you can't see the look of the hunt in the pups eyes.
Now, the child runs the house. When we come home he will yell at the dogs and say "out" with his finger pointing to the other room (maybe my wife and I do this a little too often). He also chases the 85 pound pup around. For the record, the child is 21 months and a tad on the small size for his age at only 26 lbs (at 18 months).
Posted by: Working Day Dad | March 20, 2006 at 02:26 PM
MetroDog is so cute. Did BossLady ever put reindeer ears on him? If you need some, I have a pair you could borrow. I love the sunglass look. You took him around the world? That is cool.
Posted by: Melissa | March 20, 2006 at 02:26 PM
Veal shanks for a pooch? Fattening baby cattle in tiny pens and butchering them so their shanks can slide down the gullet of a well-bred Manhattan french bulldog along with doggie ice cream and a "special present" [I am worried about what these special presents might have been, MD]? What decadence! Where is the Petronius (or Fellini) to document what the 21st century metrosexual manhattan dogowner will do for his pet during the decline of the American empire?
*end mock outrage*
Poor metrodog. Now's he's at the bottom of the pack, relegated to licking the Peanut's discarded foie grois from the floor instead of dining like a Roman emperor in the green fields of central park.
Posted by: dutch | March 20, 2006 at 02:39 PM
We have a dog in our lives too that we coddle, dress, cuddle and love. Thank goodness he loves kids too.
Posted by: Gia | March 20, 2006 at 02:45 PM
MD! This is the first mention of Metrodog I've ever read. Poor Metrodog, without veal shank AND blog coverage. Really, you ought to be ashamed of yourself.
Posted by: RBrown | March 20, 2006 at 03:56 PM
Where has that poor dog been? I've been reading you for like forever and never even heard a peep about him. You SHOULD feel guilty. Dressing him up like a bumblebee. Look at the poor dog's face. The perfection of misery. Man, he's adorable.
Glad he and the Peanut get on so well together. Perhaps one day she'll actually take him outside to see other dogs. Poor neglected fellow. :-)
Posted by: margalit | March 20, 2006 at 04:08 PM
Aw man, I think even your dog has a better lifestyle than me! I'd kill for some veal shank and I myself haven't left the country in 10 years.
Gotta admit though, he is a very cool-looking dog!
Posted by: ryan | March 20, 2006 at 04:13 PM
What's with the goggles? Does that dog ride around on the back of your Harley? Gives new meaning to "bitch seat".
Posted by: JJ Daddy-O in Savannah | March 20, 2006 at 05:15 PM
That dog is seriously cute. But where is his LV collar? Ha.
We've been horrible about giving our two dogs attention since we had E. I don't even know where they are right now! Oh wait... yeah, they're living with my parents. Heh.
Posted by: Linda B | March 20, 2006 at 06:28 PM
Despite the fact that The Pumpkin's first word was "Waldo" or an approximation thereof, our beloved mutt of that name has been seriously ignored since her birth. :( His adoption and Pumpkin's conception were curiously close in time--guess we were ready for some caretakin'.
But since babygirl's arrival, our comical-looking half-Bassett/half-Golden has gone from two walks a day to a couple a week (but now is back to one a day, with babygirl in tow); he's gone from being inside almost all day to being outside almost all day (before she could walk, it was about him being all over her stuff which was/is all over the floor, then about his copious hair everywhere); and though he loves her and she loves hiim, The Pumpkin has currently taken to calling longingly for the next-door-neighbor's "puppy" despite Waldo's presence at her feet, and she likes to push his face out of her way and say "No!" at the same time when all he wants is a tummy rub. :(
Poor Waldo. First, he's got a Golden Retriever body on Bassett Hound legs, and now this! We're such bad pet parents...
Posted by: daddy in a strange land | March 20, 2006 at 07:28 PM
I think you might be one step from Pug-O-Ween....
careful, MD.
Posted by: crazyvirgo | March 20, 2006 at 08:20 PM
Thanks for the laugh. I REALLY needed it!
Posted by: MIM | March 20, 2006 at 11:11 PM
I was already lauging my ass off at the sunglasses photo when I saw the bumblebee costume. That look on Metrodog's face is classic! How bummed out is he? One of the funniest pet photos I've ever seen. Thanks!
Posted by: Anita C. | March 21, 2006 at 12:27 AM
I remember we talked about this a few months ago when I wrote about the same topic. Before the girls were born, our dogs had the LIFE! Playdates, vacations, doggie ice cream. We even bought them these plaid woolen capes when we spent Christmas in Vermont in 2001(Metrosexual Boxers, anyone?). We actually had a vacation up and down the east coast one year, consisting of B&B's that allowed dogs (we had one then.)
That all came to a screetching halt on December 11, 2002 when Baby Girl was born. They now sleep in the laundry room instead of our bed and the younger one spends his days chewing on anything he can reach. Now it seems the only time they spend in the car for a cross country trip is when we move. I'll have to tell them they have something to look forward to this summer.
Posted by: misfithausfrau | March 21, 2006 at 08:23 AM
They are some great pics.
Posted by: bill | March 21, 2006 at 10:36 AM
He's adorable! Even dressed as a bee!
Posted by: Queen of Ass | March 21, 2006 at 11:05 AM
Oh, we were just saying similar. Our poor little neglected Emily. Maybe we'll have to get your French and my English together in CP sometime and watch them not run around very much.
Posted by: Mom101 | March 21, 2006 at 12:46 PM
yeah, we have cats, but while they do still get to sleep with us (not for the first few months, but that got solved with a house move), Pumpkinpie has decided that since they are the only ones smaller than her, she may boss them around and shout "NO!" at them and push them out of the chair they occupy at any time. Poor things. I think the dog at her nannyshare's house might have been the model for this treatment of pets, since we are very discouraging of this, needless to say.
Posted by: kittenpie | March 21, 2006 at 03:01 PM
MetroDog really has a great "I am so put upon" face when you dress him up. I was sort of hoping to see him hooked to your iPod, a la your logo. Also glad to hear that he gets along well with Peanut. We think that Barky will do the same, since he's been great with other kids, even when they pull his tail, ears, fur, etc., but we're still a bit nervous until we know for sure.
The only thing we've ever managed to get on Barky is reindeer antlers with a bell for about five seconds. For the rest of the day he gives us a "what did I ever do to you" look, which is adorable and makes us want to put them on him again.
We'll have to check with Liberal Banana to see if she's gotten Barky into anything else while she babysits him--since she's apparently all about the dress-up dog.
Posted by: Papa Bradstein | March 21, 2006 at 03:24 PM
Awww... great post!
We have a little dog, but she's fiercely protective. I love letting the girls play in the yard knowing that Cricket is keeping guard. And she sleeps right outside the girls' rooms.
Dogs rock.
Posted by: Just Linda | March 21, 2006 at 07:58 PM
So you had doggie play dates??? I LOVE IT!!!
Posted by: Sarcastic Journalist | March 21, 2006 at 11:06 PM
We've got cats, like Kittenpie (BTW Kittenpie, we had The Voice Terrorizing our cats for a while, until we told him we were going to get a tiger and that the tiger would chase him like he chases the cats. Germanic parenting tips 101), and like Metro Dog, they have been sorely neglected since TV. They used to be the best, and now they are just kind of there. We feel so guilty.
Posted by: freezio | March 22, 2006 at 01:33 AM
That is one cute pup. Can he come over for a playdate?
Posted by: GIRLS GONE CHILD | March 22, 2006 at 01:59 PM