Makeover Monday: Doggie Style

The first day of school was hard for Lilly.  She missed her sisters.

Despite not having any concept of time, she asked me repeatedly what time we were picking them up, and what the current time was.  Starting around 9 am.

Thankfully, she had a patient and loving playmate in the form of Molly, our 2-year-old Shih Tzu.

Being a female dog, and having three small female owners, Molly is a girly-girl-dog.  She has more dresses than I do, and I am not even joking about that.

So on the first day of school (over a month ago because I’m so far behind), when Lilly was bored and Molly was willing, they played dress-up.

All. Day. Long.

She played football

And she was her own cheerleader.

She was a Disney Princess

And a ruffly, pink schoolgirl.

She wore a proper business suit

And a little black dress

And even a wedding gown.

And even after all of that, Lilly and Molly were still the very best of friends.

This is one great dog, y’all.  Lucky us.

I need you to weigh in on something.

My husband and I are having a disagreement, and I’m taking it to the streets. I can’t tell you who is clearly a fool thinks what because then he’ll say that you only agree with me because you’re my readers, and not because I am so very obviously correct. 

So we’re doing this the anonymous route.

The background:  we have three dogs, two of whom live outside.  While I was pregnant with Catie I developed a severe allergy to them, and even five years later I can’t be in close quarters with them or I’ll melt down.  (inside dog is a Shih Tzu, excellent for people with allergies, FYI)  So these dogs have lived outside full time for 5 years.  We have a fenced yard so they run free, and they have a dog house to sleep in.  Said dog house was custom built with 4 inches of insulation in the walls and it is heated.

Why yes, you did read that correctly.

Our dog house is heated.

However, the dogs do not seem to care about this, or else they just flat out don’t like it.  They do not spend their time in the dog house, no matter how cold it is.

In fact, this afternoon when it is 14 degrees and snowing, this is where they are choosing to spend their time:

We’re in a real cold snap, and temps are even hitting the single digits at night, with below zero wind chills.  Their water bowl might freeze, but of course I am a stay-at-home mom so I am here and able to make sure they have a non-frozen beverage available at all times.  We also increase their feedings in the winter, to help keep them warm.  (And apparently make an already 120-pound dog even bigger.)  Their feet are also inspected for frostbite daily – by the person who believes they are fine outside, too, mind you.

So considering all of this, one of us still wants to bring the dogs into the garage to sleep at night.   We have a large wire crate that they sleep in out there, and there are a couple of old blankets for added warmth.  The crate is not enclosed, though, which the other person argues might make the dogs even colder in a large, drafty garage than they would be outside in their insulated and heated dog house. 

Or in the snow, where they lay around because their dog house is too hot for them. 

Whatever.

One of us is a country mouse and one of us is a city boy mouse.

City mouse doesn’t have an explanation for why dogs have survived outside for hundreds of years.  Or for how farm animals survive in a barn. 

City mouse stammers when you ask if they believe farmers bring their cows into their garages at night.

But despite all evidence to the contrary, city mouse still believes that the dogs must be cold.

They just don’t know it.

So wise old city mouse believes we must think for them, and bring the dogs inside.

Also on the list of things city mouse cannot explain?  Why the freezing cold dogs literally run you over in an effort to get back outside in the morning.  Or why they roll around in the snow all day.  Or why they have to be physically drug into the garage to sleep at night.

Ahem.

So yeah, that’s the dilemma in a nutshell.  What say you?

What I learned this week

Jo-Lynne at Musings of a Housewife has a great carnival going on. I have enjoyed reading others’ posts, but apparently I have been blissfully ignorant because last week I’d learned nothing worth sharing. This week, though…this week I have a few tidbits for ya.

1 – Skunks are not afraid of Shih Tzu. Or things thrown at them. Or hysterically shrieking women. Skunks are actually quite brave, and thank the good Lord above they do not spray as freely as one might think.

2 – You need an emergency kit in your house. I know you know this, just like I know this. But knowing and doing are two very different things, aren’t they? Just because you already own a flashlight and candles and extra batteries and non-perishable food doesn’t mean they are all readily accessible when you’re suddenly in the dark. And having peanut butter as you backup dinner plan is less than desirable these days.

After losing power again, I am finally committed to making an actual Rubbermaid tub full of goodies. Two weeks ago we were in the dark and the COLD because of ice storms, and tonight we are in the dark because of windstorms. At least it’s warmer now.

3 – Q & U are married, and they are always together. However. Mr. Q needs Mrs. U, but Mrs. U does not need Mr. Q. So says Annie, who earned this handy dandy chock-full-of-interesting-subtext letter lesson in school this week. I’ll never view ‘unicorn’ in the same light again.

So there you have it, a few of the valuable life lessons I’ve learned this week. Be sure to pop over to Musings of a Housewife to get links to all the other bloggy participants. You know you need to absorb their knowledge too, right?

Everyone should have a Molly

I just love this little doggie. She’s the sweetest thing ever, and such a cute little fluffer.

What we’ve been doing all weekend

As you can see, the girls and I immediately went out and bought a lot of pink accessories – carrying bag, bed, toys, collar (with rhinestones of course), leash, treat jar, dress… She’s quite the princess already! You’d never know it by the way she acts though – she’s fantabulous, and we’re all in love.