Adventures In Petsitting

I used to be a lot better with animals than I was with children.  After these last few days I prefer the children.  I was asked to watch my parents' 2 dogs and cat while they went to Florida for a couple of days.  I obliged.  It can't be that hard, I'd done it before no problems.  The only difference this time was I would be toting my 4 month old along.  She requires not only full time attention, but a managery of equipment as well.  The truck was packed up with as much of her stuff as I could fit in it.  Which obviously wasn't enough to entertain her. 

Let me stop here and explain that these aren't your average run-of-the-mill dogs.  They are extremely high maintenance.  They are accustommed to daily walks, specialty meals, and will bark incessantly if they aren't getting the adequate attention they think they deserve.  Both of these dogs are on medication. At each time it is to be administered it must be wrapped in lunch meat.  Combine that with the high needs of a baby who prefers to be in her own environment and it makes for some long days.

Things started out alright because Jason came over to help me.  An extra set of hands was great!  I'm used to my dogs who sleep late.  These dogs are some early risers!  But I was already awake from the smoke alarm chirping loudly outside the bedroom so might as well get the princesses off to their day.  Four pills wrapped in lunch meat for the yellow lab and one chicken wrapped pill for the black one to compliment their hand prepared mix of dry and wet food.  Another one at lunch for the yellow followed by their evening meal and meds. 

I think it started to go downhill when Jason left and Elise fussed all night long while the dogs barked and went in and out.  I was in the study watching TV and nursing the baby when I caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of my eye... a man walking around the back of the house.  I have never jumped up so fast in my life.  It's really scary to see somone prowling around the back of the house at dusk!  Then the phone starts ringing.. can't locate it because it's in the bedroom and the man would see me if I went to go get it.  So he finally turns to leave and I see he is the one calling the house and it just so happens to be the neighbor.  What a relief, not a serial killer.

Last night I let the dogs in before bed and the yellow one made a bee-line straight to the cat's litter box to dig out a snack... that was real special.  She doesn't know what "no" means either.  This morning, awakened by more barking.  Then I heard some puking noise... oh good, let me go clean that cat puke up too, and feed the baby, and change the baby, and make sure she's entertained.  Oh, and feed the dogs and make sure they have their pills.

I had to run to the grocery store to pick up a couple things, so I left the dogs out.  I turn into our edition on the way home only to be met by the black lab..... little escape artist.  She chases me home and I open the garage door.  Trash can is knocked over and trash is all over the garage.  These dogs are having some severe separation anxiety!  So, I pick up the garage, unload the truck, get Elise out and think we'll walk down to the pond with the dogs.  The black lab goes swimming and the yellow one takes off towards the creek.  In the past she has been brave and disapeered for a while.  I did not want to be responsible for any injuries or loss of the dog so I am now yelling for her to come back.  She interprets this as "hobble faster!" (she's got a bad back).  So, I am now doing as fast of a walk as I can with the baby in the sling trying to stablize her head to catch the dog who is doing her version of a sprint to the creek.  Here comes the black dog.  After some bribing and convincing I get them both rounded up eventually and we make our way back up to the house.  Black dog stops by the pond and is rustling in the tall grass.  I'm calling her and here she comes, with a dead fish in her mouth.  One's eating litter coated cat poop and the other one's enjoying some fresh water fish.

The parents will be home tomorrow night.  Hopefully the dogs got their rotton streak out of their systems today and tomorrow will be better.  And maybe next time I babysit, they will be better, and the baby will be happier.