Yes. I’m a Beagle mom, and my two kids couldn’t be anymore different if they actually tried to be. Jackie, the eldest (and the one screaming in the above picture), is relatively laid back, well mannered, easy to handle, and minds to a T. At the same time, she is a hunter (of birds and squirrels), is upset fairly easily by passersby, hates all things healthy and only likes French fries and such, and has a very loud “bugle” that she enjoys singing. Now, Jo, the youngest, is quite the opposite. She doesn’t bark; and if she does, something is majorly wrong. She is pretty calm but still has puppy-spurts of energy, has no idea what manners actually are, has a large appetite, loves all fruits and vegetables, and never misses an opportunity to snuggle.

When someone refers to them as dogs, I’ll admit that I’m a tad offended. They are as close to children as I plan to have right now; and to be honest, they act better than any human child I’ve ever come across in a restaurant, store, or in the car. They don’t interrupt me while watching TV or talking with people. (Now, when I talk on the phone, Jackie tends to talk, too; but I can always let her outside to bugle it out.) They may wake me up in the middle of the night, but it usually only lasts for 10 minutes or so before we are back in bed. When we go to a pet-friendly restaurant, they both sit quietly waiting for little bits of whatever I’m having and never make a peep. They ride in the car with ease and usually fall fast asleep before we get to our destination.

No, I wouldn’t trade them for humans for the world.