Thursday, December 15, 2005

Dog problems

I have a love hate relationship with our two dogs. I love the idea of them. I enjoy taking care of them. On the other hand I can not stand the constant shedding and they have some pretty irritating behaviors that have at various times caused their removal from our house to an outside dog run. Behaviors including, peeing in the house, compulsively shredding trash around the house, refusing to stay off the furnisher and out of my bed and stealing food from counters as well as begging at the table. My husband thought this was all so cute. I find untrained animals less than cute so the dogs have been out side for the last two years. (Before the animal rights people go nuts our dogs are well cared for outside. They have shelter, heated water, heated pads, and a large yard that is fenced for their running playing.) Anyway, our oldest dog is getting well, old and we did not want her to spend the winter outside even with heated water and pads. Then not wanting to leave the other dog outside by itself we brought them inside with the understanding that I would send them back out the door if the situation got out of control. So far, the little dog has figured out how to get into the trash can and despite my piling things on the lid has dumped the entire thing twice so garbage was from one end of the kitchen to the other. Several other times he drug the top items out of the can and shredded them. Twice I have came home to pee on the floor. I have also caught this dog attempting to open the kitchen drawers where I keep nuts and bread. Then there is the midnight barking fests at every car door or slightest outside noise. But last night, last night took the cake. The dog jumped the baby gate and pooped on my carpet in the dining room. He accessed all the trash cans and created a mess in virtually every room of the house. This dog is a deviant. My husbands response was to hold the dog over the mess he had created and tell him no. The dogs tail wagged the entire time and I could swear that he smiled at me! My husband and I actually have more arguments over parenting the dogs than we do parenting our children! So, little dog is getting vanquished to a kennel whenever we leave the house. Obviously he can not be trusted. If that does not work its back outside for him.