In all of this mess, it’s my boys, Jack, Lewy and Woobie, that I worry about the most. The kids can understand it to some point, but not the dogs. They’ve become like children to me. My constant companions, that rely on me for everything. Their happiness, their care, their master.
They’re used to being with my almost 24/7. Up until this past weekend, they had been living at the new house. I would get the kids off to school in the morning, and then spend most of my day with them in the house, playing and cuddling and trying to get them used to the new place.
This past weekend though, we moved them down to my parents house with us, as it was getting to be too much running. Now my parents aren’t animal lovers, actually my dad hates animals with a passion, so they aren’t allowed in the house. We cleaned out one of the garden sheds and set up their beds in there, we also went out and bought chains for them.
No, I don’t believe in chaining dogs, I think it’s cruel and heartless. Especially when they’re not outside dogs, they’re used to being in the house with us.
But what were we to do? We could have paid over $60 a day to have them kenneled at the groomer who keeps them for us when we go on vacation, but then we wouldn’t see them at all. We have no family or friends that could handle me three, very spoiled, boys. So we didn’t really have a choice.
Now they spend their days tied to trees, barking at me through the windows. I go out and spend as much time as I can with them, but they just don’t understand. They look so sad, and bark so much, it makes me want to cry. My son is also great, everyday when he gets home from school he takes them each on a nice long walk, one at a time.
The first day we had then chained up, Jack, our Jack Russell Terrier, somehow managed to jump over Lewy and get his chain hooked on Lewy’s and free himself (the Jack Russell). David and I laughed when Jack came bounding up to the house begging to be let in. We opened the door and spent a few minutes loving him and playing with him before we took him back down. We laughed and tried to figure the odds on it happening again. We came up with about one in a million.
Yesterday, somehow, he manged to do it again. He got his chain hooked on Woobie’s and freed himself. Now this puzzled us a bit more. Is it a chance happening? Or is he really smarter than we give him credit for?
My boys often got loose when we were living in our old place, and we spent many an evening chasing them down through the grave yard beside our property. Or walking down the road yelling for them. Most of the time we eventually caught up with them and got them home safely. Occasionally, they beat us home and were waiting at the door to be let in.
Now every time one of them gets loose they run straight for the basement doors if they can see us inside, or for the upstairs door if they can’t. They don’t seem to want to run off like they did before, they just want to get to their humans. It makes me sad. It shows how much they miss us!
Out of all of us, I think they hurt the most! I can’t wait until my whole family is back together in our own house! (I’m sure my parents are counting the days too, as they’re not used to having us all around all the time, not to mention all the barking!)
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