Last week, an hour after we got back from our Indy trip, John had to drive to Mobile for an oil spill conference (riveting, right?) for the entirety of last week.
Molly was back with us, so already it was a busier week. And then Cooper had his indiscretion. So, add that to work and life stuff, my hands were a smidge full.
While Molly is in our care, I’m working on crate training her to a work schedule because it’s unlikely that her future family will have a schedule like mine, and I think being able to “market” her as crate-trained is a huge plus. The tricky bit comes after 5 pm because Molly isn’t great with cats, and Lucas isn’t (well, wasn’t but we’ll get there!) great with Molly. When John was home, it was no big deal… we’d leash up Molly and Lucas, we’d each take one, and just keep the energy level low while giving out tons of treats and going about our evening routine.
When John left, I faced the dilemma of what to do: rotate dogs (which I did one night), stick poor Molly in the crate after dinner (which I did the night Cooper was sick sick sick), or fashion an x-pen out of random pieces of furniture so I could work with everyone at once…
So, that’s what I did! Then I alternated who was on the inside with me while I puttered away on my laptop and watched a movie. We did this for a couple nights, and it worked perfectly. Well… depending on who you ask, I guess it worked perfectly…
Molly is doing really well. She’s a fast learner, and she’s gotten used to house stuff really quickly. I want to keep working with her on some basic commands, but she’s already a pro at her crate and bathroom routines. Plus, her eye has gotten SO much better and is well on its way to being fully healed.
And, in a roundabout way, it’s given me a wonderful opportunity to keep working with Lucas on keeping his head in stressful situations. I’m SO proud of him, and last night during the epic disaster Super Bowl we had all four dogs off leash together with no problems! Woot!
While things are going well, I do hope someone wants to bring this little lady home very soon because she deserves her forever family! (Know anyone who wants the happiest puppy alive? Here’s her PDF flyer: Molly!)
Oh, and yes, I’m scouting Goodwill/craigslist/ReStore/etc. for an x-pen! 🙂
How was your weekend?
Love the picture of the boys peeking over the back of the couch!
The looks on their faces… “Wait. Lady, why are you over there and we’re over here? We’re supposed to be together. But you’re there. And we’re here. This makes no sense…”
I’d be surprised if you found a used x-pen. Like bookcases, they’re so valuable that no one ever gives them up.
That said, I’ve found mine to best the best buys I’ve ever made. And given how cheap I am, that’s high praise. It’s not only a good pen but it’s also an excellent gate over the larger doorways in our living room and dining room. And we used it to protect the Christmas tree as well.
I’m sure you’ll get a lot of use out of it.
I really appreciate your advice, Pamela! I consider you the Foster Maven, so if you say it’s worth it, then it’s worth it!