28 “Highlights” of Dog Ownership

I’ve posted before about my gorgeous Romanian rescue dogs, Cassi and Delphi. You can check out my last post here!

I love these two. They bring so much joy to my life, and I can’t imagine it without them. But there needs to be a disclaimer here: dog ownership can be really frustrating. So, without further ado, here are my highlights.

Cassi doesn’t like fishy treats or any fish-based food, but she loves the salmon oil I squirt on her food. Whatever, Cassi.

She licks it off the biscuits, flicking them everywhere in the process. I call it ‘dog Lego’, and my feet pay the price.

Cassi - 12
My feet - 0
Biscuits - everywhere

Delphi doesn’t bother waking us up for a wee. We’re not heavy sleepers.

She’s discovered that her favourite middle-of-the-night pee spot isn’t outside, but it’s on my fluffy IKEA rug.

I keep washing and enzyme spraying; she keeps peeing.

Delphi - 4
Rug - 1

Just before I posted this, Delphi pissed on the laminate floor in the bedroom. I didn’t see it in the dark. I saw my life flash before my eyes.

Delphi - 1
My knee ligaments - 0 uch

Cassi likes to bark at really threatening, scary things, like air.

Thanks for protecting me from life, Bean.

Nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, neon and hydrogen - 0
Cassi - 4,690

I have so many amazing photos of the dogs. My phone is quickly running out of space, and it keeps restarting every time I take too many pictures.

Cassi and Delphi: 11.5GB
My phone: 224MB
Weekly notifications telling me I have too many dog photos: 18

Cassi likes to give nose kisses, but sometimes she gets a bit overexcited and her teeth get involved. Then I make whimpery noises to get ‘sorry’ kisses. Jackpot.

She also loves to give me kisses when I’ve just got out of the bath.

Cassi: 11
My nose: 0
My hair: wetter
Kisses: infinite

Delphi talks with her paws. If you haven’t guessed what she wants within 0.4 seconds, you’re getting a paw. That could be to the face, the tit, the eye, wherever!

99% of the time, she wants a good rub. I’ve hugely reduced the number of dangerous paws by showing her that they go in the hand. Clever girl.

My face: 0
Delphi’s paw: 87
Scratches: 106

Cassi is disgustingly stubborn. So am I. We suck.

Cassi: 0
Me: 0

Cassi and Delphi like to grab each others’ back legs in playfights, almost like a weird 69. To start with, Delphi didn’t know this trick, but Cassi screwed herself over and taught Delphi what to do.

Kama sutra: 1
Cassi and Delphi: 69
Me, feeling a bit voyeuristic: *looking on in disbelief*

Cassi is too rough on the playfights front and likes nibbling at Delphi’s ears and legs. Delphi encourages it. I don’t. Cassi humps Delphi. I hump Cassi as payback for being a dick.

Me: 1
Cassi: *shocked Pikachu face*
Delphi: perplexed and wondering when the next flight to Romania is

Cuddles in bed are nice; kicks in the back are not.

Sciatica: 7
Painful paws: too many

In the first few days with us, Delphi stole Cassi’s food which was far too rich for her stomach. She vomited. Ben caught the vom lump on a plate.

Delphi: 0
Ben: 1
Plate: in the bin
My stomach: also empty now

Even though I feed her, do literally everything for her, and keep her alive, Cassi still prefers cuddling Ben.

Ben: 819
Me: 19

Me: literally nothing
Cassi: *whines*

What’s a sex life?

Cockblockers: 2
Me: 9 (minutes)

We occasionally pop out without the dogs, just for 20 minutes or so.

Sometimes, they nap and don’t give a shit. Other times, they jump into the window and scream.

Clean window: 0
Wannabe Pawcasso artworks: 23

Dog farts, that’s all.

Cassi and Delphi: 210
My nose: 😤

Actual highlights

• We’ve taught the dogs to sleep in until 11 am. They’re so lazy.
• They do amazing things for my mental health, confidence, and they stop me from feeling lonely.
• They’ve helped me make friends in a new town.
• They constantly make me smile with their silliness and cuteness. Delphi loves a super dramatic flop down, and it always makes me laugh. She’s also super soft in every sense of the word. Cassi looks lovingly into our eyes which melts my heart. She also does really cute ‘awoooos’ sometimes. I’m also obsessed with her ears (and all of her, to be honest).
• I know we’ve saved them from a terrible fate.
• They give me something to be grateful for every day.
• Having a once-terrified dog curl up to you for cuddles and kisses is beautiful.
• Having gorgeous pups to stroke and cuddle gives me a deep feeling of happiness and contentment.
• Currently, Cassi doesn’t like the rain, which means I don’t have to walk her in it. She’s getting braver, though, thanks to Delphi!
• Their happiness when they see cheese.
• They’re just really frigging cute. Most of the time.

On a serious note, a few of these things are on the fix list. Cassi is an anxious little girl, and she just needs love and kindness to show her that the world isn’t such a scary place! You can check out my week one diary with her to get an idea of what she’s like ☺️

If you want to keep up with them, our Instagram is @cassi.and.delphi, and we’d love to have you join us!

Here’s their rescue, Rocky Road Rescue’s Instagram and Facebook.

They need all the donations they can get, so please check out their latest fundraisers. They have gorgeous cats and dogs of all ages if you’re looking to adopt! And they’re always looking for fosters, too: every foster in the UK frees up a space in their Romanian shelter to save another dog from the horrible kill shelters.

Thank you for reading! :)