239 days ago by BullyChick | 61 views | 1 barks

My thoughts on crating and other issues...

So last night my landlord calls me at 8 o'clock to tell me that he is sending a couple of appraisers over to my house at 10 a.m. today. He then tells me that I need to pick up my house because they "might" come inside.

My landlord is a friend of the family and cool as heck most of the time, and pretty much stays out of my life, doesn't come over to the house unannounced, lets me have all the dogs I want, and charges me practically nothing to live there. I was, however, more than a little annoyed at this announcement that late at night on my ONLY night home this week. My irritation rose to panic when I realized there would probably be three or four men in my house with my dogs while I was gone to work.

I do not crate my dogs. They have the run of the house while I'm gone with the exception of the bathroom (Lola likes to eat razors) and the bedrooms. I don't believe in crating, even though I hear cries of, "They like it once they get used to it!" and "But it is their own space! They need that!" Now, I know that in some cases crating or seperating your dogs is necessary, but for me and my home, we don't do it. I'm gone to work for eight hours a day. Sometimes I have to be gone during the evening too, and I can't imagine forcing my dogs to stay in a confined space like that ALL day while I'm at work and then locking them back up again if I have to leave to go anywhere else. It doesn't seem humane to me, and no matter what anybody says, I don't see how dogs can enjoy it. I know I'm getting on my soap box here, but if you have stuff in your home that is just so important (or toxic) that you don't want your dogs to get into it--put it away. Put up your damn shoes, put away your food, laundry detergent, and everything else. Or don't have dogs. Dogs are not accessories we get to pull out whenever we want. They are living, breathing, animals and they ought to be treated as such.

Phew! Anyway, MOVING ON. I was stressed out about my landlord and his appraisers coming over because #1--I didn't want them letting my dogs out #2--I doubted that these men wanted to be jumped on and licked and #3--Louis is VERY VERY protective of me and his house. HE DOES NOT LIKE strange men, and he would morph into Super Attack Dog if men he doesn't know come sauntering into his house when his mom isn't home. I have to be very careful about who I allow into my home and where I take him in public. He is a good boy, but he is an animal and I've got to be responsible.

At 8 o'clock at night with less than 24 hours notice, there wasn't a whole lot I could do. I couldn't call into work and I couldn't have Louis kenneled for the day because my vets office was already closed. Louis can't go over to my parent's house because Scout doesn't like him and they fight. AND OF COURSE it is homecoming at my school tonight and I won't be going home until laaaaaaaaaaate.

I'd really like to finish this blog, but I just got a storm of 11th graders in my room and they are demanding my attention.

Freaking teenagers.