Dog Community

when did MY home become the "dogs home"?

Posted : 4/20/2007 11:40:13 AM

This weekend DH wants to get rid of 2 extra couch#%92s we have and the coffee table we never use plus a bunch of junk cluttering the garage. It occurred to me as I was looking around the house this morning that are home is getting more and more empty. This trend has been happening since we adopted dogs again 9 months ago….

We live in a 1300 square foot condo with no yard (but a big patio). There is no where for JJ to play and run around and he kept slamming into the couch in the family room, so right away the couch was relocated to the already over crowded living room so that he wouldn#%92t get injured. That leaves our family room with only a crate and a couple of dog beds plus a small computer table in the corner… essentially, the family room should now be called “the dogs room”[8|]

After getting Prudence a few months after JJ, the love seat and coffee table in the living room were relocated upstairs to the second bedroom since the stepdaughter had just moved out. This allowed more room in the living room for BOTH dogs…[:-]

NOW, with the furniture we are getting rid of this weekend that will leave downstairs with only:

*A computer desk
*A dining room table and china cabinet
*1 couch in the living room
*AND a stair climber (we brought it down from upstairs a few weeks ago since we never use it because the bedrooms get too hot during the day.. now that it is downstairs, we use it every day…[

])

Our downstairs is pretty damn barren and I guess I never noticed it until today and am wondering HOW I didn#%92t notice the “change”. I guess because it didn#%92t happen all it once, it happened in stages???

So I am wondering if we are just nuts or if there are others out there who#%92s homes have been totally “remodeled” so to speak since adding dogs into your life…

OH.. AND if you have a car that is now the “dogs car” … feel free to include that too.. I got a PT cruiser about a year and a half ago since it was a “compromise” between getting a car (which I wanted) and an SUV which I didn#%92t want but would accommodate us getting dogs again and camping…etc…

SO I got the PT cruiser because of the HUGE amount of room and the versatility and now I don#%92t know the last time the back seats have been in that thing… or when JJ#%92s soccer ball, dog muzzle, dog bowls, plenty of poop bags and containers of water for the dogs haven#%92t been in regular item in my car.  [8|]

Are we the only ones who are nuts?

willowchow

Posted : 4/20/2007 11:48:34 AM

Nope, your not alone. I've got a coffee table that's up against the wall in our living room because it's in her way if it's in front of the sofa. And, I think I'd have to have my car detailed before having anyone in the back seat again.

jjsmom06

Posted : 4/20/2007 11:54:35 AM

Nope, your not alone. I've got a coffee table that's up against the wall in our living room because it's in her way if it's in front of the sofa. And, I think I'd have to have my car detailed before having anyone in the back seat again.

I am dying Lori over the similarities... our coffee table spent many months up against the built in book shelves in our living room... AND tomorrow I have to take my car in for an oil change and tire rotation and tonight I must clean the copious amounts of dog drool off of the door handles in the back.. I am WAY embarrassed to even have a mechanic at the tire shop see that, yet alone someone I know... [&o]

willowchow

Posted : 4/20/2007 12:08:23 PM

LOL! And, there is one window that I almost never open the blinds or deal with because I have to step over a dog bed in front of it.

Angie Arnold

Posted : 4/20/2007 12:23:04 PM

My home?

I don't have anything in the kitchen that doesn't need to be there. The chairs for the table thing (it's like a table at the end of my counter, if you were looking down from the top it'd look like a keyhole) are against the front windows. Why? Because the dogs keep knocking them over.

The garbage can is contantly moved. Right now it's in front of the microwave stand, meaning I have to either move it, or reach over it, to get to the microwave. There is a perfectly good "nook" near the stand, but the dog food and water fit so conveniently in there, without the possibility of getting stepped on and spilled, that the garbage can got the boot.

We moved one end table out of the living room into the "storage room" so that we could make room for Cody's crate. It serves us well though, since the lamp fits so nicely up there

We do have a little coffee table like thing, but since the dogs can't run in the house when it's in the middle of the living room, it's now pushed up against the computer desk.

This doesn't pertain to dogs, but our "storage room" is now the kitty sanctuary (we foster cats), so we've had to move everything in there in order to accomodate the two litter boxes, three food bowls, and two bowls of water. We also had to add beds, lol.

I had to move one of my bookshelves into the "storage room" to make room for the dog beds, because the couch isn't cushiony enough [

]

I've also had to give up on trying to keep the cushions on the couch for any length of time. Instead, I just put them back, and try and cover them with a blanket or something, so I've got a ratty looking couch with an old blanket thrown over it to a. keep the dogs from pulling off my cushions and b. try to keep the hair down a little.

I think that's it for my house.

Don't even ask about my car.......my coworkers won't drive with me for fear of being eaten by the fur on the seats.......

Xerxes

Posted : 4/20/2007 12:39:43 PM

Does it count if I had to get an entirely different car because the vehicle I had wasn't working out?

My Element has both backseats out, and blankets all over the floor. There is fur on the seats, drool on the windshield (?) and there are dog toys in every crevice.

Home? I have two toy boxes for stuffies, balls, bones, frisbees, kongs, and everything else that is no longer in active use. The couches are just soft things to jump off of.

Oh yeah and I am currently the owner of 5 or 6 doggie beds that rarely get used.

So I think I'm included there as well.

ashland

Posted : 4/20/2007 12:57:41 PM

I don't own a coffee table, although I would like too, because then Ash wouldn't have room to run. If you were to walk into my apartment right now, you would think that it needed a coffee table because it's this empty space. I just got a new bed (upgraded from a futon that was very low to the ground) and am going to the store today to buy doggie stairs because it's so high for Ash to jump. While she can jump it very easily, I don't want her to HAVE too and possibly hurt herself, so the stairs will be there in case. I have a plush doggie bed that cost me a fortune that still looks and smells brand new because Ash never sleeps on it. There is a toy box in the living room in the shape of a bone that is empty because all of the toys are strewn across the floor. Next to my door, on my little table that has no chairs (on the patio so Ash can have even MORE room) I have potty bags, leash, muzzle, doggie backpack, treats, gentle leader and Ash's raincoat. Also, the first thing you notice when you walk into my apartment is the GIGANTIC crate that takes up most of the space, with the best seat in the house - right in front of the tv. And oh yes, my garbage can is on top of the washing machine.

The car is another story. I had this car before Ash so it's not made for a dog. My next one will be. However, it didn't take long to become her transport. Her paw and slober marks are all over the windows. Fur is the new interior. Two leashes and some toys are in the back seat. The trunk has some food, another backpack, a DOGGIE first-aid kit but not a human one, and some doggie boots.

houndlove

Posted : 4/20/2007 12:58:47 PM

Um, Marlowe has his own entire room, does that count?

ashland

Posted : 4/20/2007 1:00:35 PM

ORIGINAL: houndlove

Um, Marlowe has his own entire room, does that count?

hahahahaha! I am moving in September to a two bedroom apartment because of Ash!

rredbird

Posted : 4/20/2007 1:10:49 PM

Um, we always rented apartments with a 2nd bathroom so the cats' litter box would have a safe/easy area for access. We bought a 3 bedroom home over the 2 bedroom (which has more sq ft but less land) so 1. - the cats would have a safe room and 2. - the dogs would have room to run. There is no coffee table in the great room anymore because the dogs need the space! Said coffee table is out on the patio. We have in the past kept ugle pieces of furniture when we purchased new stuff so that the dog would have its own spot and we would keep her off the new stuff - that lasts about a week ! LOL.

jjsmom06

Posted : 4/20/2007 1:13:25 PM

You guys these are CRACKING ME UP!

Please keep them coming... you are really helping me feel more "sane" [sm=biggrin.gif]

BEVOLASVEGAS

Posted : 4/20/2007 1:26:58 PM

No Shelly, you are the only crazy one, really.[

]

Nothing different at my house has changed because of the dogs, nope, nothing, not at all.[

] Except for the entire den/game room being rearranged to accommodate the dogs. The pool table that used to be sitting out so that a game of pool could actually be played is no pushed up against the wall. Two dog beds lay underneath it. The coffee table has been moved to another wall. I have had the Pinball Machine & the Ms. Pac man game moved out completely. I re-carpeted the floors because the previous white carpet will not work for dogs. Currently, the entire room is dedicated to the dogs. There are 8 large beds & 4 small beds in there & until the housekeeper comes toys usually cover the floors.

My bedroom that used to be very spacious, has now shrank under the increasing number of dog beds, & my closet now has 4 crates in there. (The lower hanging clothes rack was vastly over-rated.)

When I got Bevo I knew that he would quickly outgrow the Camaro, so I sold it & bought a Trailblazer. Now the Trailblazer is the “dog truck” & I use another car or motorcycle for those days that I just don#%92t want to deal with dog hair, toys, & other dog necessities.

Wow, maybe your not the only crazy one after all.[&:]

jjsmom06

Posted : 4/20/2007 1:29:31 PM

Wow, maybe your not the only crazy one after all.

Yeah.. that is EXACTLY what I am thinking Amanda... HOLY CRAP GIRL! [

]

LMAO![sm=lol.gif]

houndlove

Posted : 4/20/2007 1:42:48 PM

I was actually freaking out a little bit over our move because I couldn't immediately identify a place to be Marlowe's room, especially if/when we turn the second bedroom into a nursery. Until we went back for the inspection and I realized that there's a whole other room in the basement (finished) with a window and a doorway and everything that is perfect for him. Just a babygate for the door and his comfy ratty ole furniture in there and he'll be happy as a clam. PHEW! There's a similar little room right next to it too that's going to be the Cat Room, partitioned with another baby gate.

denise m

Posted : 4/20/2007 3:04:20 PM

Kobi has free run of the house but thankfully he is very quiet and well behaved indoors, so my house is pretty much set up for human life. My car on the other hand is another story!

Up until about 2 months ago I was driving a small SUV. Not that I needed the space - Kobi likes to ride in the passanger seat! Anyways the plan was that DH was going to buy me a new vehicle and my SUV was going to the boys so they could get back and forth from work this summer. As luck would have it, my youngest son had a bit of a crash and ended up totalling my SUV.

DH took me out looking for a new vehicle. He spent more time looking at 4 door sedans than anything that would be pracitcal for me and the dog. He ended up buying the car HE liked and made it very clear - Kobi is not allowed in the car! He then took the boys out and they ended up with the exact same SUV (2 yr newer) as we had. My son was all excited to show me his new wheels and while he was giving me the grand tour he informed me that I could 'borrow' it when ever I wanted but - NO DOG!

So here I am driving my DH's old car, a 2 seater rag top. I have to say I am totally pissed off and so thankful that the weather has changed so I can at least put the roof down. Riding in that car with a 85 lb hairly dog is totally claustrophobic.
Kobi and I get NO RESPECT! LOL