Nintendog

For a couple of months now Link has been very carefully saving all his money. He’s done extra chores and even sold off some of his old stuff to his younger siblings. He was trying to save $30 because that was enough money to buy Nintendogs for DS. On Monday he finally had enough money and we bought him the “Lab & friends” version of the game.

Nintendogs allows people to have virtual puppies that they train and take care of and play with. Link has been delighted with his new virtual pet. Since Tuesday Link has been spending the majority of his spare minutes playing with his labrador puppy, whom he named Mario. Even when Link has been watching a movie, he has his DS open so that his puppy can watch the movie with him.

I think I like this little Nintendog. Ever since it arrived in the house Link has gone to bed quickly and easily. He’s happy to go to bed because he can get up in the morning and play with his puppy again. In fact, Link has been asking me to get him up earlier in the morning so that he can have more time to play. The last two mornings Link has been out of bed and dressed inside 10 minutes. Then he shovels in breakfast and has nearly 40 minutes to play with his puppy before school. The last couple of days I’ve gone back to bed for more sleep during this time. At school departure time, Link happily shuts down his DS and leaves for school. This is quite different from most video games. Mostly we can’t allow video games before school because it is too hard to turn them off.

At noon each weekday I have to be at the school to pick up Gleek from Kindergarten. This also happens to be Link’s lunch time. Each day he meets me outside Gleek’s classroom (which is right next to the lunch room) and we have a few minutes to talk before I need to take Gleek home. Link always gives me and Patches and Gleek several hugs. I love seeing my kids be glad to see each other. It makes up for some of those times when these same kids deliberately annoy each other. The last couple of days there has been a new component to these lunchtime rendezvous. Now Link very carefully and seriously talks to Gleek and gives her specific instructions on how to take care of the Nintendog puppy. The instructions are quite lengthy and include a list of specific requirements and restrictions. Gleek listens very seriously to the list and once at home discharges her obligations to the virtual puppy with the utmost seriousness. She knows that when Link returns from school, he will ask her to report. Then Link will run off to play with his puppy.

I’ve watched all of this with a feeling of bemusement. I know that pets are supposed to be good for kids and I’ve often felt guilty that we don’t have any. My allergies exclude the possibility of a cat and have put a damper on our enthusiasm for any animal at all. I have four kids to take care of, I don’t want to take responsibility for an animal as well. But then I watch how much my kids love playing with other people’s pets and I wonder if I am depriving them merely for my own convenience. Link’s Nintendog is giving him some of the things which are touted as the primary benefits of owning a pet. He is feeling responsibility for his little virtual dog. He enjoys playing with the dog and teaching it tricks. He loves the dog, but it isn’t the same experience as owning a real dog. The virtual dog is smarter and more obedient than a real dog would be. Clean up is a simple click, no nasty smells involved. But the virtual dog can not be a family member the way a real dog can. And a virtual dog is hard to snuggle.

I will continue to enjoy watching Link’s happiness with his virtual pet. He is full of plans for toys he will buy and is saving up for a second puppy. I will watch and I will continue to wonder if the introduction of a real animal would be good for our family and good for the animal, or unfortunate for everyone involved.