Guest Blog: Hallie the Dog-Sitter

Due to Mom’s current technical issues I’ve decided to entertain the blog audience with a correspondence I had with Mom during a long weekend of dog sitting for a co-worker. I’ve eliminated the responses since they’re not really relevant to the story. I hope you enjoy the progression…

E-mail # 1
I came over to Robert's house last night for dog sitting and in the first hour I 1) cleaned up a poop pile, 2) stepped in a poop pile, and 3) cleaned up watery vomit. Then I went out and met up with Nick and friends for a couple hours. When I got back the doggies were excited to see me but not interested in peeing in the back yard. So, add to the list that I cleaned up pee. Luckily, Robert has all wood floors! I'm going to walk these doggies (a full 8 blocks) and then go home, shower, and grab breakfast. The dogs can be left alone for a whopping hours. I don't know why anyone would sign up for such a sentence!

Anyhoo, I've got to walk these dogs. I'm about to die of hunger.

Talk to you later!

E-mail #2
ha ha! That's funny. I was typing quickly since I was so hungry. The dogs can only be left alone for 3 hours. Quite restricting, really. They are only 3 and 6 months old, so they are both prone to inside accidents. Thank goodness for wood floors!

E-mail #3
Did I tell you that these dogs sleep in the bed? The first two nights I left the bigger one in the living room and took the puppy to bed. The puppy snores a little, but not too bad. This last night I felt bad for the bigger one so I brought her up, too. Goodness she snors like you wouldn't believe AND she likes to rest her head right on mine! I got up at 5:30 so I could walk them and get ready for work. I'm VERY tired and I have that burning sensation in my nose that often indicates an impending cold. I will be sure to get some sleep tonight.

E-mail #4
Last night I was subject to my father's luck (a Mickey Warnock experience at it's height). I got a migraine at 3 o'clock, took medicine, and had a co-worker drive me to where I was dog sitting. I rested for a time, but as I started feeling sick, I decided to take another dose of the headache drug. Not but 5 seconds after I swallowed the pill, I had an uncontrollable urge to vomit. I covered my mouth and stood up, causing my vomit to spew out in all directions (and all over my sleeve). As I ran out of the room, I glanced at the floor and noted that my gel capsule had flown out. When I got back, the puppy was very happily cleaning up the mess and had already consumed my pill. A very upset Hallie called the emergency vet, but they were unfamiliar with my migraine medicine and referred me to animal poison control. When I called animal poison control, it was an automated recording with choices that stated that the call would be $50 and to have my credit card ready. Geez! HE-LLOO, EMERGENCY! To complicate matters, the puppy has a respiratory cold and was taking an antibiotic and cough syrup. I was very worried!

As it turns out, they said that she would be fine, and would either become very sedate or would have the opposite effect and become agitated. If she became agitated she was to go to the vet immediately. But alas, I had no car because I got sick and couldn't drive! Well, she did become very sedate and was a good and very sleepy puppy all night. Jane didn't get home until almost midnight and I was exhausted! I called Nick on their house phone while I was on hold with animal poison control and he came over and waited with me. I was throwing up almost every hour while trying to keep a watchful eye on the dog. I called Robert (Jane's husband and my co-worker) as soon as I got off the phone with APC, and he was appreciative of my action and I think he felt pretty sorry for me, too.

Meanwhile, they utilize Tivo to the max so we were stuck watching VH1 tributes to heavy metal rock and roll bands or something lame like that. It was one of the worst nights of my life, but I am so thankful that I have Niko to come to my rescue.

I hereby resign my position as dog-sitter.