No Dogs Allowed!

If you remember, Gracy has separation anxiety.  Since the end of summer, she has started to destroy stuff.  Usually nothing important, kleenex, paperwork, magazines, money (yes, cold hard cash) and even a check.  Nonetheless, the anxiety is there.

Gracy had a chemotherapy treatment last Tuesday.  Because of that, I had not been taking her with me to work.  I thought it would be best if she stayed home and rested and if she were to get sick (which she did for a couple of days), it wouldn't be in the car.  Well, after two days of that, she lost it.  We had the worst physical destruction yet.  I was only gone a couple of hours, but, I believe she had to go to the bathroom.  The #2 kind that sometimes can't be controlled.  However, the destruction level of the blind makes me believe it went a little bit farther than that (see picture below).

So, on Friday, she got to ride shotgun again.  I had a busy work weekend, but Saturday was crazy!  I only had about an hour break between my mid and evening visits.  Normally I come home, let the dogs out (because I can't let Gracy have free roam of the backyard because she eats rocks), relax, eat, etc.  To say that I had anxiety about leaving her home all day is an understatement.  I could have had my Dad come over and let her out a couple of times to go to the bathroom, but, I was more concerned about what she would destroy while I was gone.  Not because of the cost.  The blind only cost $5 to replace.  Cheaper than some dog toys.  The blind wasn't the safest thing to chew on.  The little bit of blood on it proved that and the fear that she had consumed some still lingers.  So, I took her with me.

A 4 hour morning route and a 9 hour mid/evening route.  She did great!  My plan was to grab some lunch for me and head to a park for our break.  I had brought her lunch and water and I was excited about a picnic with her.  However, it rained.........

So, I headed to the only place I knew that had a covered outside area.  I figured we could at least grab some lunch there, stretch our legs, and get some fresh air.  When I asked if I could hang outside with her they told me no.  NO DOGS ALLOWED.  This town is apparently not dog friendly!  I was a little disappointed, as I really wanted to just relax for a bit.  As I was pulling out of the parking lot, a lady was outside smoking in the covered area (our town is smoke free inside buildings).  All I could think of was that it would be okay for me to sit out there while she smoked her cancer sticks and for me to breathe in second hand smoke, but, it wasn't okay for my well mannered dog to sit out there and cause no one any harm.  I felt like a persecuted part of society.

Instead of spending a nice hour at the park or under a covered patio, we spent a quite hour in a grocery store parking lot, watching it rain.  It was the best hour I had spent in a long time.  It is sad that the only place you can take your dog when it rains, is home.  Another example of a small part of society ruining it for the rest of us.