Otis is our 15 year old beagle...that's 105 in human years. He is one of two dogs we own. The other is Minnie, our two year old rottweiler. I have written about Minnie before. She is still upset that her back yard has been temporarily taken from her while construction is in progress. Otis, on the other hand, has been affected by the construction in a different way. He is blind and deaf, both senses failing him slowly over the last three years. It hasn't really been that big of a deal because he has slowed down in his later years. He also had a somewhat decent knowledge of the layout of the house, so he could miraculously avoid furniture and other obstacles. This reminds me of the old Helen Keller joke. How did Helen Keller's parents punish her? They rearranged the furniture (add laugh track here).
Up until this last year, we have always had to keep Otis on a leash, otherwise he would follow his nose and never be seen again. He did break free four times in his 15 years. The first time he escaped we panicked, then I found in the woods behind a neighbor's house eating ham and white beans someone had thrown out. It was as disgusting as it sounds. His second escape ended in a different neighbor's garage. It was a neighbor I didn't know, but the garage door was cracked open, and I had a hunch. I'm glad I didn't get shot, but sure enough Otis was in there chowing down on some other dog's kibble. The third and fourth times involved great diving saves by me and Cara on separate occasions, with only a couple of skinned knees to show for it. Now, we can let Otis out without having to worry about putting him on a leash. Not only can he not move so swiftly these days, but because he can't see he simply doesn't stray very far away.
We did have to be careful at the beginning of the construction process, however, to make certain that he didn't walk into the six-foot hole we had dug, which then sat untouched by anything but rainwater for the month of October. This winter, however, Otis has been very active, and over the last 10 days, we have been consolidated into just a couple of rooms while some interior demolition takes place. I feel like one of those hoarders on some TLC television show that have boxes stacked to the ceilings with a lifetime worth of stuff. Our situation is not as severe. We have had to move our entire house into primarily three rooms while they not only finish the addition, but also demolish one bedroom to extend our family room (which puts that room out of commission) and demo part of our existing bedroom to close in a window, extend a closet, and move some electrical and cable outlets. If anyone were to peek in our windows they would run away quickly from what appears like a freak show.
I guess we find some sort of sadistic humor in watching Otis bump into things throughout the house. Granted, he sleeps about 22 hours a day, but when he is up, he is moving...taking headers into furniture, getting behind doors and closing himself into rooms, and getting tangled up under tables and chairs. And when the whole process is said and done, and everything is rearranged again, Otis will try to learn the layout of the land for the final time. Well, at least he will figure out the path from the sofa to his food and water bowls to the bean bag chair. What more could a dog want?
Up until this last year, we have always had to keep Otis on a leash, otherwise he would follow his nose and never be seen again. He did break free four times in his 15 years. The first time he escaped we panicked, then I found in the woods behind a neighbor's house eating ham and white beans someone had thrown out. It was as disgusting as it sounds. His second escape ended in a different neighbor's garage. It was a neighbor I didn't know, but the garage door was cracked open, and I had a hunch. I'm glad I didn't get shot, but sure enough Otis was in there chowing down on some other dog's kibble. The third and fourth times involved great diving saves by me and Cara on separate occasions, with only a couple of skinned knees to show for it. Now, we can let Otis out without having to worry about putting him on a leash. Not only can he not move so swiftly these days, but because he can't see he simply doesn't stray very far away.
We did have to be careful at the beginning of the construction process, however, to make certain that he didn't walk into the six-foot hole we had dug, which then sat untouched by anything but rainwater for the month of October. This winter, however, Otis has been very active, and over the last 10 days, we have been consolidated into just a couple of rooms while some interior demolition takes place. I feel like one of those hoarders on some TLC television show that have boxes stacked to the ceilings with a lifetime worth of stuff. Our situation is not as severe. We have had to move our entire house into primarily three rooms while they not only finish the addition, but also demolish one bedroom to extend our family room (which puts that room out of commission) and demo part of our existing bedroom to close in a window, extend a closet, and move some electrical and cable outlets. If anyone were to peek in our windows they would run away quickly from what appears like a freak show.
I guess we find some sort of sadistic humor in watching Otis bump into things throughout the house. Granted, he sleeps about 22 hours a day, but when he is up, he is moving...taking headers into furniture, getting behind doors and closing himself into rooms, and getting tangled up under tables and chairs. And when the whole process is said and done, and everything is rearranged again, Otis will try to learn the layout of the land for the final time. Well, at least he will figure out the path from the sofa to his food and water bowls to the bean bag chair. What more could a dog want?
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