…no matter how you try.
I’m down to one D&L trip per day, and it rarely lasts much more than an hour. Tightening up the cabin before leaving seems to take almost as long: Make sure there’s nothing on the near half of the kitchen counter you mind being destroyed. Move the desk chair cushion to the bedroom, close the bedroom door, close the desk lid*. Empty or remove the bathroom trash can, ensure that the kitchen garbage can is lidded. Of course it’s been impossible to store anything portable in the lower kitchen cabinets for months.
Once in a blue moon, Tobie will actually just take a nap and be a good boy. On those rare occasions, he gets praises and treats like a prince. But on most occasions…
Tobie, like nature, finds a way. In this case I neglected to take the woodbox out to the porch.
(usually) Nothing is really harmed in any of this. I’ve had friends with rescue dogs that simply couldn’t be left out of a cage alone or furniture and even walls could be damaged, and Tobie is not that bad. I’ve lost some favorite gloves and both my pairs of summer sandals, but that was mostly because I’m a slow learner. Little Bear is the only other puppy I’ve ever raised and he went through a destructive chewing phase which he completely outgrew, so I live in hope. I’d say this looks more like separation anxiety than just him being an obnoxious puppy, except he recently developed apparent hatred for my knit caps and he’ll steal them whenever possible whether I’m in the cabin or not. So I’m leaning toward ‘obnoxious puppy,’ and continuing to live in hope.
—-
*Thank god for rolltop desks.
Perhaps it’s time to reopen “Gitmo”
Eric.
Heh. It’s fun watching people try to rationalize their pathetic excuse for a dog’s behavior.
He’ll be a fine dog, it will just take a little time. Kind of like with kids. Actually, a friend of mine put it that way – a dog is just a kid with fur…..
I’ve had several dogs over the years, but not for quite a long time now. And, every time I think “I need / should get a dog” I remember what the first 2 years of every puppy was like and re-read a couple of your “Tobie Adventures” then check prices again on the Honda version.
(And, no, “not a dog now” does not translate to “OK, then, a cat.” Or fish, for that matter. And do not get me started on birds unless they are pheasant, grouse or quail, sauteed in butter.)
The only birds worth keeping are so damned loud…