Bed-time story
April 26th 2010 07:42
There is a dog rule in our home which we admit could be a little confusing. The rule is that dogs are not allowed on beds, except when they are.
When we first got Scratchy, he was allowed on the bed. He repaid this generosity by never getting off it. It is the only time I have ever seen him hesitate when dinner is on offer.
Eventually we had to make the tough decision to reverse the territorial permission, and ban Scratchy from the bed. This was because Scratchy's favourite part of the bed on which to spend long sleeping hours turned out to be the pillows. Greyhounds leave almost no scent, but lowering one's sleepy head onto the pillow each night began, more and more, to evoke Scratchy.
Also, it could be hard to get into bed at all. Once off the pillows and stretched out, Scratchy is a world-class bed hog.
By the time we got Daisy, some months later, the difficult adjustment in bedroom procedure had been completed. We were no longer feeling guilty and Scratchy had almost stopped sulking. Occasionally, he was even talking to us again.
The procedure changed again one morning when Daisy leapt on the bed to offer new day greetings to Little Boss.
My wife is a world-champion sleeper and, while we go to bed at the same time, I am happy with seven or eight hours sleep and so usually rise before she does. When she finally wakes, usually about a week later, she gives a cute little squeal as she stretches, and the dogs have learned to listen for it.
The result is the thundering of paws as they run from wherever they were, to stand whining and excited outside the bedroom door until Big Boss arrives to open it. In they rush to greet Little Boss, and one morning Daisy got so excited she leapt on the bed.
Little Boss thought this hilarious and exciting, and it has become a ritual.
Scratchy doesn't even try this, apparently having learned the lesson all those years ago. As for Daisy, we have tried to demonstrate in various ways, including arm-waving, yelling, growling and household conferences with a whiteboard and diagrams, that this morning access is to be her only access to the bed.
But she doesn't get it, or willfully ignores it, and we have to leave all the bedroom doors closed when we go out, or else, coming home we will be greeted by a slightly shame-faced Daisy and a tell-tale dent in the middle of the bed cover.
She's a sweet, bright girl is our Daisy. But only when she wants to be.
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Comment by heidiclyde
What do you mean "she's a sweet bright girl - - - but only when she wants to be"? Are you trying to equate being bright with being obedient? Daisy is a sweet bright girl all the time, particularly when she has worked out that she can sleep on your bed without being disturbed when you are out, she is a sweet obedient girl only when she wants to be, there is a world of difference you know.
Can I suggest you seek out those heated dog mats Bronwyn was telling you about and invest in a particularly elegant one for your sweet bright girl right away to make up for the fact that you are denying her your bed?
On the other hand you could give the boss and the Missus a big hint about the advantages of allowing hounds to stay inside when they are out. We have to go out onto the verandah. Clyde says living with you and the Little Boss must be the duck's guts.
Kind Regards,
Heidi.
Comment by Chris Champion
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The story of Daisy and Scratchy being allowed inside while we are out is the great unwritten saga of this blog. If I did write it, the heading would be something like The Incredible Epic Adventure of the Dog Door.
The short version, and I suggest you get comfortable here, is that we bought a door. There was a delay of about two months between ordering it and installing it, time filled with the thing coming from the factory in Outer Jupiter, turning out to be the wrong thing, reordering, etc.
Once we had the thing in place, that was only the start of the story. Daisy got the hang of it in two shakes of a dog bone on the other side of the swinging plastic component, but Scratchy ...
Suffice to say that the day Scratchy finally did use it properly, unaided, we were too tired to cheer. And as it took him all summer to figure it out, we still had a house full of flies, prevention of which was a considerable determinant in the decision to invest in the dog door.
At least now the cold has arrived we can stay warm - Scratchy has no trouble using the door even with his leg in a cast.
As for the heated cushion, I think I'll buy one for me.
Tummy rubs,
Chris
Comment by heidiclyde
It was a nice try, I made sure the Missus read all about the dog door but she just looked at me with a "You know the rules" look around which there can be no argument.
The thing is that the foster dogs have to learn to be confident left outside in a back yard and the rules here are what works for foster hounds works for permanent hounds.
S-I-I-I-G-H!
Sometimes it would be nice to live in an ordinary household.
The Missus looked over my shoulder in passing and said "You'd still have to go outside when we go out".
The cruelty of the world knows no bounds!
With licks,
Heidi.