Who Says You Cant Teach an Old Boyfriend New Tricks, Applause, UA Fort Smith

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Who Says You Cant Teach an Old Boyfriend New Tricks

By Alicia Agent

Dogs are usually referred to as “man’s best friend,” — probably because they have so much in common. I remember when my pet dog was just a puppy: playful, easily excited, and always jumping at me. I’ve dated guys like that. Young boyfriends are often like puppies and require just as much work. Much like puppies, younger guys never come when you call them and if you leave them alone, they’ll get into things they aren’t supposed to. Many cities enforce “leash laws” that require owners to keep pets under restraint. I suggest the same for young boyfriends.

I used to date a guy who, just like a dog, would come scratching at the door at night wanting to be let in the house. Never really sure exactly where Travis had been, I was certain it was some place he shouldn’t have. But just like a big dumb hound, Travis never answered my questions; instead, he would just tilt his head to the side with innocence and look at me with big puppy dog eyes begging for my forgiveness. I still think he should be neutered.

Every time I come home, there’s my dog — waiting, with its tail wagging. I used to think that my dog did that just because it was happy to see me. But as it turns out, my beagle has the same reaction to anyone who comes up in our yard. I’ve learned that guys sometimes respond the same way. Seth always seemed happy to see me; he was always happy to see Jessica, too. Sometimes dogs prefer other people to their original owners. He was too hard to train, anyways, and apparently, Jessica agreed. She got rid of Seth and adopted a new “pet” about a month later.

When I was younger my mother used to tell me not to feed stray dogs or cats that wandered up to our house. “If you feed them, they’ll never go back to where they came from,” she said. But I never listened and usually took in stray animals who were in need of a little food, a good home, and someone to love them. The same theory can be applied to dating. Some guys need to be taken in and taken care of. But, be careful; if you show a guy a little bit of attention, he’s liable to never find his way back to wherever he came from.

With age, my dog has become less rambunctious. Older pets are calmer and more relaxed around people, much like older guys who’ve had dating experience. You don’t have to worry about older pets or older boyfriends being too excited and jumping up on your friends when they are around. (I wish I could say the same about Seth.) Older, mature men are trained, house-broken, and usually behave better. Unlike young puppies, they know the commands to heel, to sit, and to stay. Guys who have been in relationships before usually obey better than younger men, too. However, a girl always must be aware of previous owners. Sometimes the person who trained him didn’t really know what she was doing and she may have done more harm than good. But, who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?

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