Petey Rule #1

As mentioned in earlier posts, Petey has a lot of rules. John & I tried to list them all recently, we came up with way too many to post and thought we hadn't gotten them all. So, instead of a long boring post of "The Rules", I thought it would be better to list a rule here and there along. It was sort of the way we learned them anyway - one here and there as we went along. So...

Petey's first, foremost, never to be broken rule is do not leave him alone at any time. Petey doesn't even like to be in a room alone. John and I both have full time jobs that require our attendance every day Monday through Friday, so it isn't difficult to see the dilemma. This conflict of interest caused much barking and gnashing of teeth early on in Petey's life with us. He has finally come to understand that we must leave each morning, so he's stopped barking so incessantly in the morning time. The price we pay for this freedom is that once we come home then we cannot under any circumstances leave again. This results in much high pitched, ear splitting barking. He walks us to the back door, barking like mad. When we get in the car, he runs to the couch, where he can get on the back of the couch and look out the window at us as we pull out of the driveway. We can see his head up in the air, as he continues to howl. We don't know how long this lasts, but we've come back home to find him laying across the back of the couch looking out the window, so we know he can stay there for quite some time. On occasion, if say we've left two or three nights in a row, we'll find a little 'gift' on the rug waiting for us.

John and I are kindhearted people and don't wish to cause our pet undue distress, but we often have to leave after work. We've tried several things to alleviate Petey's distress when we leave. We've left the TV on for company, given him treats, and when we can taken him with us. (That is another post!) Petey is just too smart. He recognizes the signs of exit and won't be dissuaded from his distress. The thing we have done that seems to help some is explain to Petey where we are going, and how long we'll be gone. He seems to have a concept of time. If I say less than an hour he'll trot back to his perch on the couch as if he understands. If I say several hours, he'll start barking. Really!!

It is so bad that at times we've gotten in the car to leave and realized we left something in the house, and not gone back in to get it!!!