Naughty Dog

I think I said before that I work part-time. Mike needed someone to work for him that was dependable, so he recruited me. I work a couple of days a week. I started a few weeks ago. This is something new for Toby, being home with just the kitties all day (without his mommy).

I have to say that he has been doing fantastic. This is from the dog that constantly had "accidents" in the house, a couple times a day for the first couple weeks. When that got better, it was still a problem when we left him alone, he has abandonment issues. He was abused by his previous owner, and very sick and timid when we first adopted him. He immediately clung to me, and never let me out of his sight.

He has really done a 180. And as far as leaving him alone...as long as we let him go out and do his business before we leave, and are sure to leave the curtains open in the living room, he is good for the day. (We learned the hard way about the curtains having to stay open, you can ask the poor blinds he destroyed while trying to look through them, woops!)

Anyways, leaving him alone is no big deal now. He sits contently in the dining room and watches us leave, so that he can quickly run to the window and watch us drive off.

However, the last couple weeks have been a big problem when I go to work. I don't really work a set schedule. One week I might work Tuesday and Thursday. The next I might work Monday and Friday. So it's not like he is learning what days I work or don't. Toby now seems to know I am going to work when I wake up early with the alarm and shower. He doesn't leave my side from the instant I climb out of bed. That in and of itself isn't that unusual. What is, is that he tries to make me late for work! On any other day he runs out in the yard, piddles, and runs right back to the door to be let in and get a goody. When its a day that I am about to head into work, the little booger won't come back in the house.

Like this morning...I let him out, and after 5 minutes (way too much time for him) I try and call him in, normally he would come running. Nope, no Toby...so I go out in the cold and try and find him. There he is, standing in the back of the yard in the woods. I call him again, he just stands there next to a tree and looks at me. "You can't tell me your not done yet, if I gotta go out there, your in trouble!" I yell. So he 'pops-a-squat'. When he's done, I call him again...he looks at me with refusal. At this point Mike is bugging me about the time, we gotta go. Toby knows this, which is why he is procrastinating. So I pretend to ignore him and go inside (that always works). Nope, he stands next to his tree, trying to see what my next move is. "Get over here now!" he finally comes running at me, full speed! Leaps onto the deck, I think 'yes, I got him!', only to watch that lil' goober turn just as quickly around and leap off the deck. Erggg! I was frustrated and laughing, I knew he was waisting time. He spent the next couple minutes running around me outside as fast as his little legs could pump. Before he finally decided he couldn't prolong the inevitable anymore, and reluctantly came inside with me. It's been like that every morning I go to work for the last couple weeks. Toby, Toby, Toby, *shaking head* what ever will we do with you?