As If I Needed a Reminder...

...I don't ever want a dog! Waaaaayyyy too much work!! Let me explain.

I was just in St. Louis visiting with my sisters this past week. I had a fabulous time---always do when I'm with the girls!! This trip was different in that I stayed with the twins. Janice is currently in the process of moving back to St. Louis---at least that's how Jennifer and I are looking at it.

Janice has her dogs with her---of course.

She has big dogs---so very well behaved. She told them to sit and stay. I was sitting on the couch behind them. Lola is the white one and Mugsy is the brown. Janice was walking back and forth. I watched as their heads swiveled in unison as they followed her every move. It was so funny! They suffer from separation anxiety. We took them everywhere with us! Everywhere!!

On Sunday, we went to Matt's for a fish fry (delicious, by the way. He's an avid fisherman and always has a freezer full). Janice walked the dogs and let them hang out in the back yard for awhile. When we were playing poker, she put them back in her truck. Matt had given her two big cushions that he thought would be good dog beds. When we were ready to leave, we were shocked!

They had completely destroyed them!!! Actually, this is only one. The other is buried in the cloud of fluff! I think they had a good time! Kind of like a pillow fight.

Yet, they look so innocent! We couldn't believe it! luckily it was more like quilt batting, so was pretty easy to clean up.

Not so---this---
First, let me say, I've seen all of those Youtube videos of dogs being naughty. But this truly takes the cake! Mugsy was a rescue for Janice. When she first got him, he freaked out when he was left alone. One day, she was gone for an hour and a half and came home to this---mind you, Lola was outside and took no part in it.

Mugsy had eaten his way out of his crate. And then he went wild!!! I'm telling you, what you are about to see is unbelievable!!

 He destroyed the entire house! In this bedroom, he pulled down the curtains and knocked a picture off the wall.

 He ripped the blinds down, broke the lamp and pulled the pillows off the bed.

 In his effort to get out, he ripped the moulding off from around the door.

 More curtains down and a broken table. You can see some of the wood moulding on the right.

 Here he ripped the screen.

 Another bedroom totally destroyed including tearing up the bed.

 How he managed to pull the entire rod down in the living room, we'll never know.

He pulled all of this stuff off of the table including a 50 lb. bag of dogwood which he chewed open.

 More wood damage.

Kitchen curtains down with more stuff strewn around. When she got home, she said he was sitting on the kitchen table. Janice is a good housekeeper, so don't think it was already a mess. I said it looks like Mugsy had a party or else someone got in and ransacked the place!!! No telling what he's experienced. Perhaps he was trained to do this for burglars!!??

 He looks so innocent sitting here.

The twins said I did really good with the dogs. I even frolicked in the back yard with them. I threw the stick and Lola retrieved it. Mugsy didn't want to. I have to say, it wore me out! Just watching Janice wore me out. She was up to let the dogs out, down for a bit, up to let them in, then wipe off 8 paws for about 10 minutes and then out again! I was exhausted! And then there's the dog hair...I got up to use the bathroom. When I returned, there were 3 hairs on my iPad. It just floats around in the air. I pet them avidly once each day. Then I washed my hands and was done.

They are really sweet dogs. I get why people love them. Personally, I just don't want the work! This bit of time with with them was good for me---as if I needed a reminder that I don't want a dog!! Just too darn much work!!