Operation Doggie Freedom.

Okay, so here I sit, a bit miffed at something that I know was only meant as constructive criticism, but it felt almost like an attack. Why is it that pet owners or even parents for that matter get so agitated when someone questions the way they are raising their pets/children, respectively?

I love my dogs, I really do. But there is a huge thing...I don't trust them any farther than I can throw them. And I could probably toss Puck pretty far (not that I'd ever do it). So here is how it goes down at The REAL Housewife of Snohomish County's digs. My dogs are not trusted to be left alone. I have plants and things that I don't want them getting into. I don't fully trust that they won't decide the entire house is a chew toy or bathroom. When we first got Cooper, he was sickly and didn't do much at all. Now that he's healthy and sometimes annoying he is full of energy and into anything and everything. It's easier for me to get things done around the house when I know that they are lying on their bed and being good instead of having free roam of a three story home and getting into heaven knows what.

So that is how it's been for the last 5 1/2 months with Cooper. Until last night. Mike made a comment to me that was in effect, that we (mostly me) were stifling our dogs freedom. And how exhausting it is to always have to be watching their every move and that we'd be able to do our own thing and they'd do their own. Now let me be honest, I tuned out right after the stifling our dogs freedom part because it felt like a personal attack. Now, hindsight is showing me that it wasn't an attack, but when you are the primary caregiver of a pet, or child for that matter, you spend hours on end with them and you know what they are or are not capable of.

I don't feel that our dogs will be the dogs that can be trusted to have free roam, but I am however willing to give it a shot. So last night after crawling into bed and not being able to sleep, I got up at around 1 AM and rearranged the living room back to it's original form (this is also because the couch was under the window and right over a heat vent so it probably shouldn't be there) and moved all of my houseplants either out of the living room or up higher. But here's the other sticking point, it's fine and dandy for someone to make comments or suggestions as to how they think pets or children should be raised, but when they aren't the ones who have to implement the changes and go through the awkward phases of (in a pet's case) cleaning up poop and pee and chewed up carpet or furniture, it's hard not to take something like this personal.

I know a lot of my friends have animals that they let have free roam of their house and things are fine. But for some reason, I don't think our dogs will ever be at this point. I know that's a negative way of thinking, but it's the way it is. But even with that being said, I'm willing to give this a try. So today is day one of Operation Doggie Freedom. I hope there aren't any casualties!