“ I want that one .” “ Ah , it ’ s sooooo cute .”

When the public-address announcer calls , “ May I have the hound group into the ring ,” they shriek like we won the lottery .

While Mattie and Jessie enjoy their dog fantasies , I might as well be invisible . They ’ d probably notice if I rode a camel in front of the TV , before promptly responding in unison , “ Get out of the way !” Simply put , Mattie and Jessie love dogs .

Don ’ t get me wrong . I like dogs , too , and have had a few great ones in my lifetime . However , I also remember when we lost our beloved Shetland sheepdog , Ginger , to a stroke after a year of fighting kidney disease . I ’ ll never forget Jessie ’ s wails , which were striking in both volume and duration . It was my worst day as a father .

Plus , puppies and dogs are a lot of work . As a stay-at-home dad , I knew who would perform most of it . Doggie needs taking out early or late . Dad . Walks in

18 WNY Family June 2018 unpleasant weather . Dad . Trips to the vet , clean up accidents , keep the little chewer from ruining our furniture . Dad , Dad , Dad . So , you can see why I was less than enthusiastic about adding a furry new member to our family .

However , I knew it was just a matter of time . Probably deep down , way deep down , I wanted another dog , too . We welcomed Sadie , a Shetland sheepdog puppy , into our family two years ago . Just as I expected , my workload has increased by all the above tasks and more .

Dogs need lots of love and attention . Frequently , Sadie puts her front paws on the arm of my desk chair or brings her stuffed gorilla and uses her big , brown eyes to guilt-trip me into playing . I throw the gorilla and she brings it back , over and over , as I try to type a few words . Yes , it ’ s harder to focus on my work . And somehow , Sadie became a sofa dog , a privileged place to shed that we kept off-limits to our previous pooches . Maybe it ’ s time for Jessie ’ s perspective on why we needed a dog .

Jessie , Age 9

Our dog Ginger died . It had been a while since she died . I told my parents about a trillion times , “ I need a dog .” It ’ s important to have a dog greet me when I come into the house . A dog licks between my toes when I ’ m feeling bad . I like a dog to cuddle up with at night , a dog to dress up in my baby clothes , a dog to play with , and a fluffy thing to love . Finally , we got one , Sadie .

I need another dog . I would like to get a Havanese . They are priced at $ 2,000 plus . They are super cute . They don ’ t have many health problems . It will give Sadie a playmate . Two dogs will also protect both sides of my bed at night , and I ’ d have a dog for each hand when I ’ m holding the leashes . Now , let ’ s get back to Dad .

Instead of giving 2,000-plus reasons on why we don ’ t need a second dog , I ’ ll concede that Sadie has been a welcome addition to our family . The first sentence of Jessie ’ s bedtime prayer sums this up . Every night , she opens with , “ Thank you for Mommy and Daddy and the best dog in the whole world that I love so , so , so , so , so , so very much .”

We did need a dog … but not a second one !

But no matter how many dogs share our home , one thing is certain ’ tween daughter and dad , I love my girl and my girl loves me .

Until next month , remember to cherish the moments . Happy Father ’ s Day ! Enjoy the sights and sounds of fatherhood — even a few untimely barks .

Patrick Hempfing had a 20-year professional career in banking , accounting , and auditing before he became a father at age 44 . He is now a full-time husband , stay-at-home dad , and writer . Follow Patrick at http :// patrickhempfing . com . J . L . Hempfing , now 13 , began writing with her dad in kindergarten . Her current hobbies include reading , writing , playing clarinet and alto saxophone , and dancing . If you enjoyed this column , you ’ ll like Patrick ’ s first book , “ Mo- MENts : A Dad Holds On .” The book compiles favorite stories and new material and is available for sale on Amazon .