When I was in my 20s and 30s, I was pretty much partying in my spare time, and I quickly clashed with every single girl I dated over the dogs. It was my way or the highway with most things, and few women can take being "second" to anything, let alone a bunch of combat dogs.

I got hooked with a young, blonde vet tech when I was in my early 30s, and I really thought she was going to be "the one" ... and I put forth a lot of effort into the relationship ... but eventually even she couldn't take being "second" to a bunch of damned dogs either and split. After that last heartbreak, I said no more, and I went through a period of about 10 years where I stayed alone, and only with my dogs, because I was sick of the endless hassle that dogs and relationships tended to bring. The way I looked at it, dogs always stay happy and loyal, while women seldom do. I didn't have to "explain myself" to any dog, I could do what I wanted without incident, and no matter what happened the dogs were always in my corner. As the old joke goes, "Unlike a woman, the later you come home at night the happier your dog is to see you."

However, after trimming the volume of dogs I had down from 80 to a more sane 7 animals a few years ago, I wound up getting into a relationship again, and this time I have slowed down (and am mature enough) to actually consider another person's wishes than my own---although it wouldn't be possible to have a relationship if I got too much bullshit over the dogs. Sure, Tina and I have had an argument or two over the dogs, but for the most part it's been smooth-sailing. If anything, Tina can't stand it when I sell any of our pups, because she doesn't think anyone is going to care for them at the same level she and I do. She actually helps me with everything I do, rather than hinder me, so it has been pretty nice for going on 3 years now.

Juggling the dogs and a woman, in a serious relationship, is never easy. The dogs take so much time and devotion to care for properly, that unless your woman is really behind you (and at least loves the dogs, not necessarily the sport), she won't be able to take "being second" to the dogs. No woman can. So unless she shares your love for the dogs to some degree like you do, sooner or later one or the other (the dogs or the girl) has got to go.

However, if you're lucky enough to land a good woman, who's really behind what you're doing, it makes everything you do a thousand times better than if you're doing it alone.

Jack


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