Dog sitting isn't for amatuers

Saturday Day 1 of dog sitting. 

We arrived at my house in mid afternoon and the three pups were somewhat confused as to why they were here. They adapted well, then they ate, then they slept, then they barked.

Milo was SO ANNOYED. He fuzzed up, growled, made weird noises and tried to assert his authority. It lasted for a short amount of time. 

Addy did an initial greeting... 

and then retreated to her/Olivia's bedroom...not unlike Grandma. As the day wore on, the furry houseguests seemed OK to staying here. When bedtime arrived, Owen took Masiy, Maya and Mimsie to his room and Addy remained solitary. She seemed fine with it. I would not call her the most welcoming hostess in the world. 

That night Owen was charged with dog sleeping duties. He was on his own, and yet it was crowded. 

This gives new meaning to the phrase, Three Dog Night.

Snuggle is Maisy's middle name. 

Sunday Day 2 

Owen and the dogs awoke with varying stories about how the night went. Since it was church day, we went, the dogs stayed home. The rest of the day was spent lounging in a Sunday kind of way. About 3:00, Owen left to go back to Jackson, they seemed unaffected by his leaving. Naps were had by all, multi times during the afternoon and night. 

I'm happy to report that except for a barky moment around 3:30 AM, the night went better than expected. 

Monday Day 3 

I stayed home until 3 ish, then I left to go run an errand. They always want to leave with me, but the furniture store contains too many peeing opportunities for all dogs. Therefore, they weren't invited. 

This is what Monday looked like...

No truer words.

Tuesday Day 4

It has been a day so far. I went to bed at 2 in the morn. I slept like Blake in her sumo suit. 

Just before 8 AM, Olivia left for work and then I don't know what in the cat hair set them off, but some amount of dogs were barking shortly after Olivia left the home. They barked and barked....then barked some more. I got up from my interrupted slumber and yelled at everybody. They quieted down. About 15 minutes later, they started barking again!! Well, turns out John forgot something and had to come back home and that's what set them off. He is now at the TOP of my list. It seemed as if the barking morning set the tone for the day, because they barked and barked and barked all day....with small intermittent amounts of quiet. It's been a cray day. 

Yep, she's crazy.

Maya's favorite barking position. 

I told you.

Familial discord. 

Currently it's 2:25 and all have eaten and are settling in for slumber again. They must be exhausted from all the barking. Shhhh...it's currently quiet. 

I'll report back later.

I'd say that this evening we all have cabin fever, except they KNOW they aren't in the right cabin. I think, they think, they would like to be reassigned. Sleeping arrangements are as follows....little dogs are sleeping with Olivia, Maisy prefers Owen's room and Addy is doing the usual. 

Wednesday Day 5

Never heard a peep in the night, but with the morning, came more barking. Mimsie is the most vocal and stirs the pot. Maisy feels obligated to join in. Maya and Addy just want to be left ALONE. It's 12:41 at the current moment. 

In other dog/cat news, Mimsie is getting VERY VERY bold, because she's decided Milo is her sworn enemy. She wants his hide. It's possible Milo is what she's barking at in the mornings, he outside, she inside. And it's POSSIBLE he's taunting her with that as well as the fact she can't get at him. They're currently at detente. 

Definition of detente (I looked it up)....the easing of hostility or strained relations, especially between countries.

Spot on since Maya is her own country, even though it's Mimsie who hates Milo with the passion of one thousand suns. That made no sense but I typed it and I liked it.  

This is true.

As I write this, all are sleeping in various den positions, but it's closing in on eating time and the two factions....me/them....don't agree on when that should be. 

Update:They wore me down, so I fed them a little early. 

The rest of the day now awaits....

This afternoon there was a squirmish between Milo and Mimsie. When they first met on Saturday last week, Mimsie was terrified of Milo. 

That didn't last. 

Today she went after him like she was a gonna eat him alive. He didn't appreciate it, but instead of defending himself, he ran for the hills. He stayed hidden for multi hours, until rescued my John. He refused me when I tried to help him. He and I have trust issues. In the end, he spent the entire night outside. It seemed best for all involved. 

The pups all went to bed when Olivia did. Not a creature is currently stirring. 

Thursday Day 6

There was a small amount of barking this morning, but it didn't last long. I think the squirrels, as well as Milo, are taunting Mimsie. She's too young to know not to let them bother her.  

We've all gotten along just fine until it was time to eat. They love their food! Then I went to Gmaw's and while I was gone, someone (Mimsie is suspected) got my Kiehl's that had the top on it and used it as a snack for supper. I have NO IDEA how she got the top off, but the people at NASA need her expertise. 

The evening was spent running and napping and I think they are over living here. 

If they could bark out the words "over it" they would. 

Friday Day 7

MUUUCCCHHH barking in the A M. It's like their very own doggie drug and they just cannot get enough of it. 

Same routine at lunch time...just to make sure I don't forget my job, Maya comes and sits on the back of the couch behind my head. I think she's trying to intimidate me when lunch time is close. I can't blame her. We all like food. 

Anytime they bark John reminds them to, "Use your inside voices." I don't think they have an inside voice. It's all very loud. Dogs rarely speak softly. 

Bedtime was about the same. Nothing out of the ordinary. They are getting into the routine and tomorrow they go home.

Saturday Day 8

THE BARKING IN THE MORNING!! Why dogs why? 

Olivia got home from work early today and she and I were making plans to get the pups home and all was well with the world. Then everything turned to crap fast. 

She had to return to work, so I got all the dog belongings together and we were in the car lickety split and off for their home! 

Look at this. I was so unprofessional that my eyelashes were in my nostrils and my ears were on my eyes. SUCH an amateur. 

When we arrived at their abode, I tried the key pad to get in the house. It wouldn't work. I tried some more, no good. So, because I had a key at my house, we had to load up again into the car and go back to my house to get the key. Stupid I know. None of us could believe it. 

Once again on our way with key in hand, we arrived with the fervent belief all I had to do was use the key to get in....uh uh. It was when I returned with the key that I realized it didn't fit into the key pad knob, so I made an executive decision to use the front door. No problem? Just wait. 

I knew the house alarm was on, but I thought I'd have time to get to the indoor alarm pad. The instant I opened the door the alarm started blaring throughout and into the neighborhood. Maisy and Maya were freaked inside, Mimsie, freaked outside. I got the code typed in as fast as I could, all the while the house phone was ringing. I knew it was the alarm company. The phone stopped ringing about the time I got the code plugged in and the crisis was averted. The dogs were safely inside and I left to go home. 

I was barely down the road when I panicked and thought maybe a dog wasn't in the house, so I had to go back to do a quick head count. 

Guess what they did? 

They were barking....barking...barking....  

Now it's six hours later and I'm sitting in silence. 

But there's no Maisy to come snuggle up beside me. Addy barks, but she does not snuggle. 

And so ends the saga of the dog sitting. 

We had some good times. 

Suddenly I feel like howling at the moon.

Back in a few...