Good Weekend

Tug was in need of a good weekend and I think he got one. When Mama ran the vacuum Saturday I was there to keep him company. We try not to baby him so we don't reinforce his fears. Then he had some good play and quality nap time (meaning he was in full body contact with a human). Today, he was a little out of sorts when Mama, my sister and I sat down at the dining room table to work out our menu for the next camping trip. We had to put his house lead on him (a loooong red nylon lead with a slip collar- he understands a different level of behavior is required when there's a leash around his neck). Then, we pulled one of his pillows so he sat by us as we ate take-out (Chinese, yum!) and he behaved so well we all fed him little smidgens of white rice. Tug just adores rice. Later, he slept on the pillow by my feet as I sat doing some paperwork at the table- even though Mama was in her chair!!! We'd never seen that before but he was comfortable, I guess. Usually, he insists on being in her chair with or without her in the evenings.

Momentous Occasion

This past holiday weekend my sister had several nights reserved at the campground near her house. Mama and Tug were there Friday night so I came home to an empty house. Saturday, instead of calling to tell them when I was coming out, I had to hit a walk-in clinic due to a sinus infection. Ick. So, Saturday night Mama decides to leave Tug with me as I obviously couldn't go camping with them feeling as poorly as I was then. Previously, on the two occasions she's gone away and left Tug (yes, just twice in 2.5 years), I would stay home from work and also sleep in her room where his crate is located. Tug went from sleeping in a dogpile with his siblings to a crate in Mama's room (and took only 1 night to adjust!). So he'd never really slept alone.

Well, I didn't feel I could inhabit Mama's bed with a sinus infection even using my own sheets & pillows. Mama's had a bunch of little medical demons pile up on her this fall and isn't breathing too well right now- her asthma's acting up. I just didn't want to take a chance with her health and I don't like her mattress as much as my futon. My solution: keep the boy up until he was beyond tired and then put him to bed as normal. Then I'd go into my bathroom with the lights on and take a shower or get ready for bed just as normal (in a condo you can hear from room to room). Never a peep out of him. He knew what I was doing and went straight to sleep. He was concerned Sunday night when I went to put him to bed and Mama wasn't there again. She had come in for the afternoon so I could sleep and he was her responsibility. Then she went back for the night which is the great thing about being so close to home when we camp there. He balked at going to bed Sunday but when he went in he just gave up and went to sleep.

Mama and my sister don't seem to think this is such a big deal but I do. Coming at the end of a week which had included a 4 day Bed & Breakfast stay for Christmas and with people setting off fireworks nearby on both nights I felt it was a big deal. I'm proud of our boy!

:)