Wednesday 23 November 2011

I'm coming home...

Once there is a dog in the family holidays and trips away from home need a little more planning. Is the dog going with you? Will it be boarded for the duration? Perhaps it will go live with a family member or perhaps there will be a house sitter?

Then there is the added research of whether the place you are visiting is dog friendly whether it be family, a hotel or a holiday cottage? At present I am visiting deepest East Sussex and enjoying a weeks stay in a beautiful barn conversion in Broad Oak near Brede. Along with three friend I am working on my latest novel and enjoying the winter sun. Last year we were snowed in at Whitstable but that's another story.

I have two elderly dogs so what was I to do about them. My husband works full time and is away from home too many hours to leave them alone. It would not be fair on them to spend eight hours alone - it wouldn't be fair on my floors or their bladders either. They like to know we are close by even if they sleep many of the daylight hours.

They have their routine:
Doggy biscuits upon waking, cod liver oil pills straight afterwards. Sharing a biscuit with my elevenses and having their main meal mid afternoon. Then there is our walk around the garden at set times of the day - they are creatures of habit and I have to drop everything to go walk with them and watch as they sniff the grass, look to see if Mr Fox is around. Chase him off if he is spotted (there is no chance they will ever catch him but they enjoy the thrill of the chase)  then come indoors for a drink from their bowl of fresh water - woe betide anyone no to have topped up the bowl at this important time. They know when my husband is due home just as they know that they are allowed some gravy on a handful of kibble as we eat our meal. Any deviation from their routine and we are in trouble. There will be a look, a sigh or they simply turn their backs on us and ignore us completely.

So what to do for the week I was to be away from home? It was simple, my husband took the week off to dog sit. Armed with a list detailing the oldies' routine (just in case he forgot an important time when a biscuit was due) I set off to write my latest tome.

With Internet contact I am able to catch up on what they've eaten, what has come out of the other end and how they've slept. I know their blankets have been laundered and they've shared their Dad's dinner on a few occasions. The one thing that has confused them is that Mum is missing and they go to the door waiting for my return. No doubt when I arrive with my book written and a suitcase full of dirty clothes they will give me the silent treatment for abandoning them for the week - after eating their biccy presents that is!

1 comment:

  1. It's a good point that dogs have a routine - just like babies and children, really. We looked after our son and partner's dog for the weekend recently, and although we were given feeding instructions and arranged for my other son to take her for a walk, I didn't even think about asking what her 'routine' was. It's worth both the owner and the sitter remembering this when the occasion arises.

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