My semi-worthless dogs

Besides the five humans residing in our home, we also have two dogs. We feed them daily, take them to the vet once a year, and let them in and out of the house about a thousand times a day.

When we rent a house, I have to pay an extra deposit. When we travel, I have to set up dog-sitting or find a hotel that accepts pets. Their hair accumulates on the floor, on the furniture, on our clothing.

They bark. They bark if someone knocks on the door. They bark if someone rings the doorbell. They bark if someone walks down our street. They bark if they hear another dog bark. Sometimes they seem to bark for no reason. It angers me when they bark while my kids are sleeping. They don't understand "be quiet." Unlike children, no matter how old they get, they will never get any smarter.

They are not completely worthless, though. Sure, their hair makes a mess, but they eat anything that falls to the floor before I even have a chance to clean it up. Yeah, they bark, but I do feel more secure knowing they are on guard, even when I'm sleeping. They are remarkably loyal. Even though some days we virtually ignore them, they still consider us their "pack."

I guess I consider them part of my pack, too. We brought them into our family, and annoyances aside, I am usually glad to have them around.

Especially when my kids spill a whole box of cereal on the kitchen floor.