My dog is on a schedule...

I love our dog Scout- if you know me at all or have read previous posts you know this. He is a snugly, curly, sweet white dog that we rescued back in December from the SPCA. He is our child and we spoil him rotten.However, I do not want precious little Scout to turn into a bratty dog so we try to discipline him and this process has been pretty hilarious- it really does make us feel like his parents.

Well, for starters Scout has been through a lot of change- whoever had him when he was born deserted him, he spent time at the SPCA until we met him then he moved into our old duplex back in Fort Worth for 2 days until we moved into our old apartment. Then we lived in our apartment for 5 months until Ryan got the new job and we picked up in a hurry and moved to The Woodlands. We lived with my parents for the 30 days it took our house to FINALLY close and he learned to love Bella, my parents dog and his grandparents. We finally moved into our house and he had his first yard.

Since moving Ryan and I have been doing a lot of traveling, meaning we have to leave Scout with family members- we have only gone on one vacation, the rest were for work so we aren't just leaving him behind because we want to. Most recently he stayed with my mother-in-law while Ryan and I went with my family to Mississippi for a funeral. Ryan just so happened to get the worst stomach virus in the world while in the car on the way home- let me remind you the 8 hr trip ride home so he was absolutely miserable by the time we got back, poor thing. So, when Scout came home things weren't like they normally were- you know all about him since I was trying to make sure Ryan was going to make it through the night. Although I hugged him and played with him as soon as we walked in the door Ryan went straight to bed without even saying hi and I don't think Scout like this. The next day I was swamped with work and Ryan was still sick and then the following day we both had a youth group function so he was here all day alone. He really did not like this. Then, lovely Sunday morning I got up- sick with the terrible stomach virus and was in bed- ALL day. I have never slept more in one sitting in my life. I have never felt like I was going to die like I did that day. TERRIBLE. Well, the good thing about this day is that Scout apparently was very lethargic himself and laid in bed with me all day and it was sweet. He is seriously the sweetest dog in the world but he does have his bratty tendencies...

This brings me to my next section... Scout's bratty tendencies. Let me just tell you what all this moving around and staying at other people's houses this summer has done to our precious dog. He started chewing again for some reason. He just turned a year on July 4th so he was really young when we got him but we were able to break him of this habit and then for some reason in the last few weeks it has started up again- what is going on?? He has chewed up a few pairs of my shoes, one of Ryan's hats and anything else that is mistakenly left on the couch or floor. He even got a pack of gum out of my purse and chewed it up. When I found him he was chewing on a piece while sitting on the couch watching cartoons. WHAT?? OK so i put the TV on for him but he was seriously sitting like a man on that couch!

Seeing that I work from home he doesn't have to spend very much time alone- when we were in the apartment there were some days that I just had to put him out on the balcony for a little while because 24 hours of anybody is a bit much. I know, I am a terrible mom. However, since we have the house now I really thought it wouldn't be as big of a problem. What I didn't think about was the scorching heat that graces Houston 363 days of the year- the other 2 are unbearably cold. I am not going to put little Scout out in the back yard for longer than a few minutes because his fluffy, curly hair makes him over-heat. Seriously. He will come into the house and pant for a good hour if he is out there for even 30 minutes.

If I let him hang-out in my office with me for too long he drives me nutty, he scratches on my legs trying to get in my lap, he tries to get into my files etc. So spending my work day with him right under me all day is not an option.

Well, I strongly feel that he is acting out because of lack of structure and consistency. Ryan laughs when I talk about this but it's so true! He needs a schedule just like the rest of us so I have created one for him. When I get up he gets out of bed and stretches while I go to the restroom to brush my teeth etc. Then, we walk to the back door, he goes outside to do his business while I go ahead and get his food and water ready. Then I get my banana or yogurt and we eat together in the kitchen. Then, it's off to the shower for me and he comes along and has his 1st morning nap. While I am getting dressed etc he plays- runs all around the house, brings out all of his toys etc. Then I go to the office while he plays for about an hour or so on his own. In the meantime I have moved his bed a few quiet toys into the office and placed them under the office window which is his station. Yes, I have stations. Don't judge me. He normally comes in plays a little, lays a little and just hangs-out for a while. He normally spends some time looking out the window and sitting in the other office chair. I work and work until lunch time. We go into the kitchen, he eats his left over breakfast while I cook my lunch and then we normally hang-out on the couch for a few minutes. Then, it's walk time. We walk to our mailbox (it's a community box in our neighborhood) and he is super happy during this time. Then we come back and it is nap time for him and more working for me!

I either finish up work or Ryan gets home and we will move to living room- along with his bed and toys where everything is placed by the entertainment center- his next station. He is really great about trying to keep his toys close to his station once he is done playing with them- it's like he is trying to help me clean them up.

Since moving back to Houston our schedules have become crazy! I used to not have anything going on during the week back in Fort Worth but now we have something almost every night! Sunday nights are Retro, the junior high service that Ryan preaches at and I lead a small group discussion after the service, Monday nights we are free- yay!!, Tuesday nights I have yoga and Ryan has Judo, Wednesday nights Ryan has youth service- this is a night I try to reserve for seeing friends, Thursday nights we have small group and Friday nights we try to spend some time with just us because Saturdays are so busy with weddings, youth events, family events, birthday parties etc. that we really don't get a weekend together. I am not complaining though b/c honestly we have never had a weekend together since being married. Ryan's previous job schedule was TERRIBLE and he worked nights and his weekends were in the middle of the week so the fact that we have Monday and Friday and even Saturdays when something isn't happening is fantastic compared to how it was!

All that being said that Scout spends his alone time now in the guest bathroom. He used to be free to roam but since he destroyed my copy of New Moon it's off to solitary confinement when we aren't here until we feel that we can trust him again.

Well, that's that. An entire post about my dog, his weird behaviors and the way I am trying to correct it- with a schedule. I may as well put a chore calendar up on the fridge next. So far I am keeping my sanity and he seems to be liking it as well... we will see what happens!