I have been getting stared at a lot since Saturday, and it has nothing to do with the fact that the Dove Frizz Control Therapy shampoo and conditioner that I have been using for the last couple of weeks seem to be making my curls frizzier, not smoother. No, it has to do with the five inch scratch that I have on my left cheek. While waiting on the no show agent Saturday, Bailey the Wonder Mutt tried to jump into the backseat of my mom's SUV. I managed to grab him before he fell and broke anything, but I got sideswiped by his toenails in the process. Nice little birthday present, huh? Yeah, I thought so, too. In fact, I'm thinking of showing my gratitude by changing Bailey's name to Freddy Kreuger. After what he did last night, I might even change it to "The Urinator" or "The Mighty Mister." About an hour after I took the dogs out, Bailey went into the master bathroom and peed all over the toilet. The sound of the urine hitting the toilet was so loud that I could hear it from the bedroom. At first, I thought the fish tank was leaking. However, after getting out of bed, turning on the lights, and examining the fish tank, I realized that it wasn't the tank that was leaking. It was my Chihuahua's bladder.
I just don't know how to stop that dog from urinating inside. "No, no, bad dog" and that "shush" thing that the Dog Whisperer does do not seem to work for me. Getting him fixed hasn't either, and I really don't like the idea of sticking him in a crate. I guess there are always belly bands, but knowing Bailey the way that I do, he would just find a way to chew through them.
Maybe Winkie Spiers' new book, How to Handle Living with Your Dog, can help me find an alternative that actually works. In the book, Spiers uses humor and a no-nonsense approach to give her readers great advice on how to live with their dogs. For instance, she recommends that you establish a mutual understanding between you and your dog as the first step in stopping doggy misbehavior. Her approach makes a lot of sense. If you and your dog don't understand each other, then how can either of you ever change the behavior that is leading to your problems?
Spiers' book can be purchased now in paperback or on CD starting in April directly from Short Stack Publishing's web site, ShortStackPublishing.com. Short Stack Publishing, based out of the United Kingdom, is home of the How to Handle Series, which covers a wide range of topics, from misbehaving mutts to the Christmas holidays. If you have a dog like mine that just doesn't seem to listen, How to Handle Living with Your Dog is a book worth checking out.
Now I have to go do what I've been putting off since I heard the Mighty Mister last night--wash all the towels that I used to soak up the urine and the bathroom rug. Good times.
