Monday, September 29, 2008

That darn dog!

Somebody asked in a comment about the dog. Yes, he is still hanging around and still won't go away. Frankly he is really getting on my nerves. He has his own little bed on the porch, but that hasn't stopped him from pulling the cushions off my porch chairs to sleep on at night, and he chews on my pillows and has pulled the fluff out of a couple of them.
I'm feeding him twice a day, but he still feels the need to chew on whatever is left laying around the porch...like shoes or this fishing tackle.
This was the little plastic box that contained the fishing tackle.
He also apparently feels the urge to knock over the trash can while we're gone (we don't have a garage in this house) and scatter the contents all over the yard. He scratches on the door and howls for someone to come play with him. He barks in the middle of the night to warn us when there is a possum or raccoon or an owl nearby.

But then again, he wags his little stump and runs down the path to greet John when he gets home from work. And he curls up next to me and lays his head on my lap when I sit on the steps. And it's kind of cute how he follows me around and waits for me to pat him on the head every time I go outside. And he's been real good with the kids. Just look at this face. How can I call the pound?And yes, our very, very, old golden retriever, Bliss, is still around too. I'm sure she is wishing she could still run like she used to, with all this room to roam. But she hobbles around, and wheezes, and avoids Jackson as much as possible. She has taken a swim or two in the pond, I was surprised she still had it in her. But you can find her most of the time in her favorite spot curled up under the kitchen table waiting for food to drop.

By the way, I forgot to mention until my dad left a comment, I did call the humane society but there is a waiting list. So Jackson is on the waiting list. We'll consider ourselves foster parents in the meantime. I'm sure he'll make a wonderful pet for someone with a garage and without pillows and tackle boxes on their front porch.

10 comments:

Tim Rovenstine said...

I once heard your sister Marlita say 'Don't complain about what you tolerate". I think after that pillow was torn up I'd allowed holy anger rise up and made that call to the Humane Society.,

Marlita said...

I can't take credit for that saying... I think I stole it from Jason!

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a puppy. We have two dogs and they will, if given the opportunity, chew on anything they can get their jaws on. The kids have lost many a toy and I have lost many a pillow from my sofa and even the sofa has had some chewing. We want a new one, but are probably going to wait a while longer until the chewing phase is out of our lab. We are almost there, I can just feel it. She will be two this month. Either that or I am in complete denial. The kids have learned the hard way that if they don't want the dogs to get it, then they have to keep it in their rooms with the door shut.

Jennifer said...

Don't usually comment, but we've been going through the same thing! I've heard labs are especially bad about chewing... In the last year she's chewed up toys, pillows, clothes, shoes, the couch, the bed frame, the picnic table, and the DECK! I heard this lasts 2 years, so I try to see it as an investment. She really is very good with the kids! But someone the other day said something about FOUR years! She really better be worth it! LOL! I need to look into a spray I recently heard about. I think it's called bitter apple and dogs don't like the taste of it.

I hope you find a solution to your dog problems!

kirsten said...

Huggy (our black lab) stopped chewing @ about 2 years... sometimes when he's missing us he'll walk around w/ someones shoe in his mouth. Bitter apple works great (like Jennifer said)
I heard once that if you're going to get a lab, they must be an added member of the family....they are extremely social dogs and if not around people, will get bored and chew. Even during the chewing phase, Huggy only chewed when he was alone.
Charissa...sounds like you're getting "hooked" on this dog?!?!?

Tim Rovenstine said...

I've felt bad all day for that unkind remark. Marlita brought that back from her time at Teen Mania. You can do what you want with the dog. It's hard when you see animals abandoned by the ones who watched over their birth, and allowed the propagation.

Dalene said...

I love Uncle Tim.

adoptedthree said...

Give the dog some things that are Jackson's to chew, such as those peanut butter filled bones from the dog stores. He seems great with kids- how sad that he needs a family to adopt him too;) All god's creatures have their little quirks and maybe you can just help him with his. He sure seems to like you all!

Arizona mom to eight said...

Our dog did that to everything she got her teeth on.

It is so frustrating, got her a rawhide bone, and her own chew toys, but she wanted to ruin our things. The dog whisperer would tell you to take him for a walk! LOL

Our Sophie is half Chow and part Golden Retriver and part Black lab, lets just say the genes did not mix well. She still chews up Meghan's Barbie dolls if they are left outside.

Carri said...

During a temporary moment of insanity we decided to own/raise/feed and feed and feed four dogs. We love them all and will be sad when their days on Earth are gone....but we often ask ourselves what in the world we were thinking!