In the Dog House

Not Eric... but Moreno, our 9 year old lab mutt. While Eric is out of town, I will let him roam free downstairs during the night. It makes me feel safer knowing that he can growl at someone at the front door if we have a potential intruder. The older he gets, the more "bladder control" issues he has. The main reason we got rid of the carpet in our living/dining room is because he had a "bad night" and pooped and peed all over it in several places all in one night. Getting out the stains was impossible and the smell never really left either. But, even with the carpet gone, that room is his favorite place to relieve himself in the middle of the night. Two nights ago, such an accident occured. I gave him the benefit of the doubt and dutifully cleaned it all up. (It was gross!) Then last night, SAME thing! I wanted to shoot him this morning when I discovered what he'd done! He was in the "dog house" all day and I was planning on having him sleep OUTSIDE tonight, just to teach him a lesson, but there's rain and lightning out there and I feel bad leaving him out in it. So, I gated him into the laundry room and he better not have another accident or I might lose it!

When his doggy "life" is over, and I'm telling you that I want another dog, please stop me and talk some sense into me! I'm really tired of cleaning up poop and pee, moping up gallons of dog hair (shedding) and finding dog sitters when we want to leave town. The following picture was taken about a year ago... I can't believe how much he has aged in the last year!