My dog is, unequivocally, a reason I am no longer married and a reason I neither have nor want children.

The pandemic has been a win for dogs. According to the Washington Post, shelters cleared out, foster dogs were adopted at double the pre-covid rate, and breeders had waiting lists. At the same time, due to covid, Americans are having fewer babies: a June 2020 report from the Brookings Institution estimated the US could see as many as 500,000 fewer births in 2021, a 13% drop from the 3.8 million babies born in 2019. The fact that there has been an increase in demand for pets and a simultaneous decrease in demand for babies is not only interesting, but in my opinion, related.

My dog, Cinco, was not only a catalyst that eroded my marriage, he was also what validated, beyond any shred of doubt, my intuitive feeling that I could never, ever, have children with my ex-husband. If you are a pawrent who is currently evaluating whether you want kids, or want to have kids with your current partner, you’ll want to tune in.

In honor of my fluffy companion, this episode explores 5 lessons I learned from pawrenting with a partner.