Traveling is always interesting... and even more so, I'm finding, with a dog.
The kids and I have traveled together for years. Asia has stayed home and worked numerous times when we've taken off together. We travel well together. They do great in the car, and I enjoy the road trips hugely. Asia doesn't let me drive if he's with us - it's just his thing. But when I'm out on the road with just the kids, I drive. I pick the music and I decide when we're taking a potty break. Don't get me wrong - I love family vacations when we're all together, but I also really enjoy being with the kids alone.
However, bringing the dog along has changed the dynamic considerably.
Gracie is a wonderful dog. She is obedient and well behaved. She is perfectly housebroken. But she's also a puppy. And I don't trust her to stay with us when we're out on the open road.
Every rest area was pretty nervewracking. I was so afraid she was going to jump out of the car before I had her leash on and get hit on the freeway or run off and not come when we called her. She did great - and my worries were all in vain. But still, it was hard.
We brought along a travel crate for her to sleep in and stay in when we needed to leave her home. So this morning, when we went to church with my brother Steve and his family, she was safe in her crate with some toys and a doggy biscuit. The crate was upstairs in my nephews' room.
When we got home from church, I looked at the house and saw, to my dismay, a little puppy head looking out at me from the dining room window. The dining room that is downstairs, far far away from my nephews' room.
Gracie had gotten out of her crate.
Now, you must know, my sister-in-law Lorraine is a consumate decorator. Her house if full of beautiful things. She only buys things she really loves, and fills her home with thoughtfully chosen accessories. She has beautiful plants. Amazing rugs. Custom furniture. All kinds of things Gracie could destroy. Not to mention their two new kitties - who are still a little nervous and weren't at all excited about Gracie's presence in their home. I was just certain we were going to walk in to piles of doggy poop, shredded couch cushions, and terrorized cats who would for certain need pet therapy after being left alone with the huge strange boxer. Either that, or Gracie would need therapy after being terrorized by their older cat, who had taken a few swats at her nose when we first got to their house.
Instead, I walked in to a house that looked just as we'd left it.
Granted, the crate was destroyed. (I cannot recommend a soft sided travel crate... $50 down the drain.)
But the house? You'd never have known she was there.
Can you say 'Good Dog'?
She travels great it the car, and is settled in here at my parents house... asleep on the floor by Mom's feet.
She's found her groove. And I think I'll find mine... probably tomorrow.
Church was good this morning. Their family is part of a young church plant - so it's small and just getting it's start, but it's good. They have great coffee and visiting artists' work hanging in the foyer... cool. Good music too.
Lorraine and I happened to sit (unbeknownst to us, but apparently beknownst to my brother) next to a man with Turret's Syndrome. I noticed him a little at first because he coughed a lot. And his coughs were always preceeded by a strange squeek sound. That's okay. It wasn't terribly distracting.
However, when his leg started shaking, I began to be distracted. Their church meets in a beautiful historic church building with good old fashioned pews. And as I discovered, when one end of a pew starts gettin' jiggy, the whole pew gets jiggy.
So we sat through the sermon, and through a considerable amount of wiggling.
It was okay.
But it's certainly an argument for chairs as opposed to pews.
Okay. That's enough yacking for one night.
Love spring break.
And I love my dog. Even though she's caused me a bit of stress.
Hope you've all had a lovely weekend.
The kids and I have traveled together for years. Asia has stayed home and worked numerous times when we've taken off together. We travel well together. They do great in the car, and I enjoy the road trips hugely. Asia doesn't let me drive if he's with us - it's just his thing. But when I'm out on the road with just the kids, I drive. I pick the music and I decide when we're taking a potty break. Don't get me wrong - I love family vacations when we're all together, but I also really enjoy being with the kids alone.
However, bringing the dog along has changed the dynamic considerably.
Gracie is a wonderful dog. She is obedient and well behaved. She is perfectly housebroken. But she's also a puppy. And I don't trust her to stay with us when we're out on the open road.
Every rest area was pretty nervewracking. I was so afraid she was going to jump out of the car before I had her leash on and get hit on the freeway or run off and not come when we called her. She did great - and my worries were all in vain. But still, it was hard.
We brought along a travel crate for her to sleep in and stay in when we needed to leave her home. So this morning, when we went to church with my brother Steve and his family, she was safe in her crate with some toys and a doggy biscuit. The crate was upstairs in my nephews' room.
When we got home from church, I looked at the house and saw, to my dismay, a little puppy head looking out at me from the dining room window. The dining room that is downstairs, far far away from my nephews' room.
Gracie had gotten out of her crate.
Now, you must know, my sister-in-law Lorraine is a consumate decorator. Her house if full of beautiful things. She only buys things she really loves, and fills her home with thoughtfully chosen accessories. She has beautiful plants. Amazing rugs. Custom furniture. All kinds of things Gracie could destroy. Not to mention their two new kitties - who are still a little nervous and weren't at all excited about Gracie's presence in their home. I was just certain we were going to walk in to piles of doggy poop, shredded couch cushions, and terrorized cats who would for certain need pet therapy after being left alone with the huge strange boxer. Either that, or Gracie would need therapy after being terrorized by their older cat, who had taken a few swats at her nose when we first got to their house.
Instead, I walked in to a house that looked just as we'd left it.
Granted, the crate was destroyed. (I cannot recommend a soft sided travel crate... $50 down the drain.)
But the house? You'd never have known she was there.
Can you say 'Good Dog'?
She travels great it the car, and is settled in here at my parents house... asleep on the floor by Mom's feet.
She's found her groove. And I think I'll find mine... probably tomorrow.
Church was good this morning. Their family is part of a young church plant - so it's small and just getting it's start, but it's good. They have great coffee and visiting artists' work hanging in the foyer... cool. Good music too.
Lorraine and I happened to sit (unbeknownst to us, but apparently beknownst to my brother) next to a man with Turret's Syndrome. I noticed him a little at first because he coughed a lot. And his coughs were always preceeded by a strange squeek sound. That's okay. It wasn't terribly distracting.
However, when his leg started shaking, I began to be distracted. Their church meets in a beautiful historic church building with good old fashioned pews. And as I discovered, when one end of a pew starts gettin' jiggy, the whole pew gets jiggy.
So we sat through the sermon, and through a considerable amount of wiggling.
It was okay.
But it's certainly an argument for chairs as opposed to pews.
Okay. That's enough yacking for one night.
Love spring break.
And I love my dog. Even though she's caused me a bit of stress.
Hope you've all had a lovely weekend.
Cathy,
ReplyDeleteThis is such a cute story. I was reading anxiously hoping sweet Gracie didnt let you down... she made it! Good dog!!! :) Good mommy as well. Hugs to you!
I starting laughing out loud. I love it when that happens.
Have a great day! T