Adventures In Dog Sitting

One of my husband's coworkers is out of town for the week, and kind of a last minute thing they needed to find somebody to watch their dog. Gus can't blame me for accepting, since he asked me if I wanted to do it and I said sure. She's cute and all, and I like dogs, but my adventures in watching a young Golden Retriever has me contemplating getting a dog of my own, something I've been considering for the last few months, if we can find the right dog.

Abby, the dog, is an adorable little snot that loves attention. She also likes to be outside and enjoys running around on five acres of property while I go about my errands of feeding the horses, where she harasses the chickens and hasn't quite figured out that the cats do not like her. I'm waiting for her to get that lesson down, but to save her face from being mauled, I try to intervene. Of course, I also intervene when she decides to take a dump in the hay barn, NOT the place for her to do her duty.

So, we go to the trials of dog sitting, and the reason I'm kind of mum on the idea of getting a dog. See, she's young, still a puppy, and it turns out, not entirely housebroke. Don't get me wrong, she doesn't poop in the house, but when she gets excited, like when she meets a new person, she starts wagging her tail and piddling on the floor. That gets annoying. She could have just peed outside and she will still piddle on the floor if she gets super excited. I don't know if that's something that will go away in time or if she's just a nervous dog with an uncontrollable bladder.

Then there is the play bites, which I think I'm getting into her head is not ok. She tries to jump on the couch with me and I push her off, she thinks its a game and she puts my arm in her mouth. Not breaking the skin, but I have had to work with her that no body part goes into a dog's mouth, ever (unless somebody is breaking an entering with the intention of harm, then go right on ahead!) But the most disgusting thing I have seen her do is eat horse manure. It almost made me vomit the last time she did it. Dang dog.

But she is cute, in her I'm not quite a puppy anymore but I'm not a full grown dog sort of way. Still, it has made me realize with the constant craving of attention (thankfully we have a kennel for her at night) that I really am a Cat Person at heart.

As long as the Cat is halfway sane and not a murderous fiend of course. Anyway, I think I'll let a future kidling try to talk us into getting a dog when I actually look at getting one. I'm glad petsitting is only a week.