Life With Dogs and Kids: A Love Letter to My Boys Before I Leave

Before heading out for 15+ days, I had to write about the ones who make coming home the best part of every trip.

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I’m about to leave my boys for more than two weeks, and honestly? Writing about them feels like the only appropriate send-off. Life with dogs and kids is many things — loud, unpredictable, occasionally gross, and completely irreplaceable. These four have my whole heart, and before I go, they each deserve their moment.

In no particular order — because ranking them would start a fight — here they are:

Originally wrote on April 27, 2012

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Leroy: The Soul of the House

Leroy is, without exaggeration, one of the sweetest, most gentle souls I have ever had the privilege of sharing a home with. His entire agenda consists of three things: sniffing, sleeping, and staring at you with those enormous, loving eyes. He came to us nine years ago under a different name — Zebulon — and whatever that dog’s story was before us, I’m just grateful it led him here.

Every single morning, seeing his face makes me smile before I’ve had a single sip of coffee. He has this quiet, steady way of lying nearby and making you feel completely safe. In the most unexpected way, Leroy makes me want to be a better person. If you’ve ever had a dog like that, you know exactly what I mean. If you haven’t, I genuinely feel for you — the bond between humans and dogs is something science has been trying to explain for years, and Leroy is living proof it’s real.

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Chase: Mama’s Boy, Cuddle Champion, Future Rock Star

Some boys love their mamas. And then there is Chase. He is fully, completely, unapologetically devoted to me in a way that is both incredibly touching and occasionally a lot. The snuggles are world-class. The constant need for physical contact is — well, it’s a lot for someone like me who occasionally needs personal space. But I wouldn’t trade it.

Chase is also my little athlete — I have a strong feeling he’s going to be our sports star, the kind of kid who dabbles in a good time and maybe joins a band on the side. Honestly? He is me. He’s going to be a rock star in whatever he does, and he’s already got the charm and the energy to back it up. He also has a heavy dose of his dad in him — lots of chilling, lots of charisma, lots of love to go around.

One of the great joys of raising kids with pets is watching them develop empathy and connection early. Chase has that in spades.

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Puga: The Legend. The Snorter. The Guard Dog.

Where do I even begin with Puga? The name alone should tell you something. Puga is not a normal dog. He is not even a normal pug — and pugs are already their own category of wonderfully absurd creature. He is round, opinionated, food-obsessed, and sleeps more hours than actually exist in a day. He has genuinely figured out life in a way most humans never will.

But here’s the thing about Puga: he is my ride-or-die. He is utterly devoted to me and takes his self-appointed role as my personal bodyguard with complete seriousness. Anything suspicious on my side of the bed? He’s already on it — barking, sniffing, circling, investigating — until either the threat is neutralized or someone fills his bowl with something that shouldn’t be on his diet and he passes out for a few hours. Then the fridge opens and the whole cycle starts again.

Puga is a one-of-a-kind character. There will never be another one like him, and I mean that in the most affectionate way possible.

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Riley: My Mini Me, My Greatest Challenge, My Pride

God help this child, because he is me. Intense, determined, stubborn, relentless, and so incredibly smart it’s almost alarming. Riley gets locked onto something and does not let go until it goes his way — which is simultaneously the most exhausting and the most admirable quality a person can have.

He chews his nails. He can’t sit still. He’s addicted to television. He loves learning. He has more love to give than he knows what to do with, and he notices every single detail about everything around him. Strong-willed children like Riley can be a handful, but the research is pretty consistent: that intensity and drive, when channeled right, produces extraordinary adults.

Watch out, world. Riley is going to make his mark — I’m as sure of that as I’ve ever been of anything.

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Here’s to the beginning of many more tributes to my boys. Life with dogs and kids means I will never run out of material, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

With love from the one who’s already counting down to coming home, Angel

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Learn more about Angel Holmes and everything she’s up to at sipindipity.com/angel-holmes.