Marie Ziebell

Dog Mom Life After 50: Tito, My Tiny Boss With Big Opinions Has Entered The Chat

Tito, my chiweenie, is a little over two years old now. We’ve had him since he was just seven weeks old. Back then he was basically a warm potato with legs and a personality that was already bigger than his tiny body. From the beginning he has been my little shadow and my office sidekick, coming to work with me like he owns the place. Which honestly… he probably thinks he does.

Somewhere over the last two years this eight pound dog has completely reorganized my life. And I mean that in the best possible way.

Life after 50 has a different rhythm to it. Your kids are grown, the house gets quieter than you ever imagined it would, and suddenly the days don’t revolve around school schedules, sports practices, or someone yelling from another room that they can’t find their shoes.

Then along comes a dog like Tito and the quiet is officially over.

I can’t really remember what life looked like before him anymore. Actually that is not totally true. I do remember sleeping in. That used to be a thing. Also there wasn’t a tiny furry supervisor staring at me around 9:15 at night whining because he has decided it is bedtime and therefore everyone else should be in bed too.

If I ignore him the whining gets louder.

Because clearly I work for him.

That is dog mom life after 50 in a nutshell. You finally reach the stage where the kids are grown and somehow you end up being bossed around by an eight pound chiweenie.

And honestly I would not trade it for anything.

Now, here is the part people don’t always understand about Tito.

Tito is what they call a reactive dog.

Before anyone jumps to conclusions that does not mean he is mean or agressive. It just means he experiences the world in a very big way. Sounds, sudden movements, other dogs, unfamiliar situations. All of it can feel like a lot for him sometimes.

The funny part is we did everything people say you are supposed to do. Tito was socialized from the time he was itty bitty. He met people, he met dogs, he went places. We did the things you do when you want your dog to grow up confident and comfortable in the world.

And yet here we are.

Some dogs are just wired with bigger feelings than others.

At first I wondered if I had done something wrong. I think most reactive dog owners go through that phase. But over time I realized something important. Sometimes dogs are just themselves, and Tito is very much himself.

For a dog that can have big feelings about the outside world he is also the sweetest little guy and incredibly protective of his people. If you are part of Tito’s circle you are really part of his circle. He sticks close, watches everything going on around us, and takes his job of protecting his humans very seriously.

It is actually impressive to watch such a tiny dog feel responsible for the whole situation.

Having a reactive dog means life requires a little more planning than people might think.

We do not just grab the leash and wander into the world without a second thought. There is a whole mental checklist that happens first.

Where are we going
Is it crowded
Will there be a lot of dogs
Do we have treats
Do we have space if Tito needs a minute

There is a lot of forethought that goes into preparing him and honestly preparing ourselves too.

Some days Tito absolutely nails it. He walks past people and other dogs like a tiny gentleman and I sit there thinking wow look at us being all calm and well adjusted.

Other days a leaf blows across the sidewalk and suddenly we are having very strong opinions about it.

That is just part of life with a reactive dog.

But living with Tito has taught me more than I expected.

The biggest lesson has been patience.

Like, REAL patience. The kind where you slow down and pay attention instead of getting frustrated. When you take the time to understand what your dog is feeling you realize they are not reacting just to be difficult. They are reacting because something in that moment feels overwhelming or confusing or unpredictable.

And honestly the more I have gotten to know Tito the more I have realized something kind of funny.

Dogs really are a lot like their owners.

Which explains a lot.

Because if I am being honest I might be a little reactive myself sometimes. I mean I am a Sagittarius after all and fire signs are not exactly known for quietly observing life from the sidelines.

Tito reacts to unexpected dogs and noises.

I react to nonsense emails and people acting weird in public.

Basically we are the same person in different bodies.

But one of the most unexpected gifts Tito brought into my life is how special he has made this season after kids.

When your children grow up and move into their own lives, the house changes. It is quieter. Slower. Different. Ugh, y’all….SOOO different.

Tito filled some of that space with his routines, his personality, and his determination to be involved in absolutely everything I am doing. He follows me from room to room like a tiny supervisor making sure I am handling my responsibilities correctly.

He keeps life interesting. He keeps me laughing. He reminds me that companionship does not have to be big to be meaningful.

Sometimes it is eight pounds of chiweenie energy who thinks bedtime is 9:15 and that protecting his people is the most important job in the world.

Dog mom life after 50 might look a little different than I expected.

But if it means sharing my days with a tiny coworker, bodyguard, and professional bedtime police named Tito, I would say I am doing just fine.