Doggie Drama

Suzy is an outside dog. She loves to live outside and come in for SPECIAL OCCASIONS...like it was a really big treat for her to be able to come in and visit for 20 minutes at our house- then she'd go right back outside. In the winter she'd get to stay in a little more often, but still SHE LIVED O-U-T-S-I-D-E.

Now we all live in a one bedroom apartment. It has been going really well. She has gotten used to living inside and likes it just fine. She is a very shy, timid dog. She goes on alert if she hears another dog outside or someone coming to the door. We have been going on walks everyday to be sure she can do her business and have some outdoor time.

All was well until tonight. THE RAIN CAME. When it was raining in Clarksville I never worried about her, she has a nice little dog house and she could get under the deck. If it was storming bad I would let her in the basement, but never for extended hours where I'd worry that she would need to go to the bathroom.

Do you get where this story is going?

I came home tonight knowing that Suzy needed to go out to go to the bathroom. I told her it was raining. Generally she would have just wanted to stay inside if that was her choice, but she had to go out before we all went to bed. I get the big umbrella thinking we could maybe both stay dry...THAT IS THE MOMENT THINGS WENT WRONG. She was terrified of the umbrella and ran as far as the leash would take her away from me. I had to juggle the umbrella and her weight pulling me, in flip flops mind you. I finally had to put the umbrella down she was so terrified, talking sweet to her just wouldn't work. So we both got SOAKED. But she finally went "potty" and we both came back inside wet to the core. Whew. What an adventure. I must really love my dog.