[Zeus is Loved]

We have two precious boys, Zeus and Perseus. Perseus came along because we felt guilty leaving Zeus home alone. My husband and I both work, and our teenager started 12th grade this year. They are home for about 5-6 hours alone on typical days, and, at worst, we will be in and out during school; so they are home alone longer. Our son is in band and we attend his events. They both potty on a washable pad. (They will go outside if they need to.) The way I look at it is this: If I never go to Ireland, I'm not going to miss Ireland. My dogs don't miss what they don't know. It is not safe to be outside where I live for them: Hawks, owls, rabbits twice their size, armadillos, raccoons, opossums, snakes (including poisonous), and the dreaded ticks. We also do not give our boys flea protection pills, because they both have severe sensitive stomachs. We simply feel they are safer inside, and they are both happy boys. Of course, we feel guilty for leaving them and wish we could be with them all the time; however, I would never want to lose that sweet, unconditional, constant love that we receive from them because we work. They are definitely worth it. The only thing I would add to my long, drawn-out post is that we do not ever leave our boys to go on vacation. If they can't go, we don't go. If we go home to visit family, if the boys weren't welcome, we wouldn't go. They are our family, and they are the best kind of family -- never judge you, always appreciate you, always happy to see you, want and need you, don't talk back to you, and are the best, sweetest companion a human could ever have.