By Lisa Batten Kunkleman
Eureka! Sadie Hound finally went. All day I’d been begging her to go outside and do her business. Her eyeballs had to be floating. Every time the torrential rain slowed down a tad, I tried again. Of course I’m the one who got wet, standing out in the rain trying to cajole her to me, where I stood in a flowerbed that’s her regular spot.
Back inside we’d go. Even Remy Dog, our Sheltie’s nipping at her hips couldn’t herd her off the front porch but he certainly tried. He even went back out in the rain a second time and demonstrated what I wanted her to do. No chance. Back inside, I had to keep Sadie in whatever room I was in to be sure she didn’t make a lake on the hardwood floor.
Our Boarder Collie/St. Bernard mix, Mandy went out easily and did her thing, but played games when it was time to come back in. She sat on the doormat as a sign that she was content on the porch. Five minutes later, she was whining. I opened the door to see her lying on her rug, making no effort to come through the door. Just whining for the heck of it. I closed the door.
In the kitchen where I was rearranging a cookbook shelf, I heard Mandy bark and I headed for the front door to let her in. She was standing this time, apparently wanting some company outside, not in. Remy joined her for a few moments. I do mean moments. More whining led me to reopen the door to let Remy in while Mandy stood there asking me to come play.
No thank you. As I started closing the door, Mandy stepped inside with her front feet and kept her rear section on the porch. I shut the door further on her big furry middle and low and behold, she came inside smiling and wagging her tail behind her.
Addendum: The rain finally stopped for a few moments and the four of us walked to get the mail and Eureka! Sadie went! Hallelujah, at least until the next time. This rain is supposed to stick around through tomorrow evening. I’m pretty sure she cannot hold it that long.
April 25, 2017 at 3:20 am
Can definitely relate. My dog doesn’t go when it’s raining either. He’ll wait it out. Ha.
April 25, 2017 at 7:35 am
Oh yes, I know what you mean about not going out in the rain. But did you know that its not due to them not wanting to get wet?
Their hearing ability is so much more sharper then ours and they say that the sound of the rain, especially heavy rain, actually hurts their ears.
April 25, 2017 at 11:36 am
That’s fascinating. I’ve never heard that before. Thanks.
April 25, 2017 at 11:47 am
You are welcome. It makes sense for when it’s pouring outside, and you can hear it, my Sheltie wants to be right near me.
April 25, 2017 at 10:36 am
Can’t say that I blame them, Lisa. This rain has made for horrible commuting conditions. I’m ready for a little sunshine.
April 25, 2017 at 5:40 pm
🙂 smiles.. loved your story and the pictures… And there is rain and then there is RAIN.. 🙂
May 5, 2017 at 4:15 am
Those faces are so cute!!! I have an electric wheelchair and in Florida it rains a LOT. I used to completely cover the wheelchair in plastic and put a raincoat on and hook the dogs to the wheelchair and make them go out. Molly could hold her pee FOREVER. So we would go out and she would act like the grass was glass and she would squint her eyes like it was just torture! My neighbors always commented on my craziness of taking them out in the rain. But molly would NOT go! We do what we have to to get our puppies to pee in the rain!
May 5, 2017 at 4:27 am
That’s for sure. Sounds like you work extra hard to keep her bladder healthy.
May 5, 2017 at 4:34 am
She got infections all the time from struvite crystals. We had her on special food. I knew if she held it too long it would just make things worse. Loved my dogs
May 5, 2017 at 1:05 pm
Our dog Sadie gets silica stones in her bladder. They’re shaped like the old Jack rocks game pieces. When she has them she starts having accidents in the house that’s when we have not just puddles there more like lakes.
May 5, 2017 at 4:22 pm
Poor thing. I know those are miserable. The vet showed us what they looked like under the microscope. She said it is like peeing glass. So we had to put her on CD dog food which was junk food i felt but she didn’t get them after that. I had been feeding homemade food. But this was a low protein diet.
May 5, 2017 at 4:32 pm
We have horses and Sadie likes to eat whatever oats they miss and though it sounds gross she enjoys their poo. It’s all grass and oats which are grains she shouldn’t have. A constant battle as she can go under the wood fence and get her snacks.
May 5, 2017 at 4:44 pm
Ohhh yeah. We used to take molly to a farm a few houses down and her favorite snack was horse poop. How exciting you have horses!!!
May 5, 2017 at 5:03 pm
Yep. We no longer ride them since our kids are away at school. And also because I had a bad fall off a horse a few years back and hurt my knees. Don’t want to risk getting hurt again in middle age. But they are very sweet tall pets the eat a lot and poop and look pretty. They make good lawnmowers in our fields.
May 5, 2017 at 5:23 pm
I would love to have some horse scenery!!!!!! That are also lawn mowers and lawn fertilizers! I’m sorry you had a fall.