Dogs – you can’t live with them, and you can’t live without them. Actually, no – you can live without dogs. We are currently minding two dogs belonging to my in-laws. Minding their dogs is always an interesting little adventure, which reminds us of the benefits of surrendering our dog years ago to their larger property. What is it that stands out as the downside of having dogs? Hmm, where do I start?

Could it be the homesick howling that starts at night, continues in the morning and intermittently through the day? Could it be the way one or more of the dogs will disappear after we’ve let them off the chain - even though we are pottering around the yard and in no way are abandoning them? Of course, for these doggies, accustomed to calling a thousand acres their territory, confining themselves to our piddly 20 acres is hard. For them, each fence is just another line through a run of paddocks that beckon them to explore and gambol through the trees. Walking around our place is simply a stretch of the legs before going on a real walk.

I know dogs are man’s best friend. Clearly, there’s a reason the saying talks about ‘man’ and not ‘woman’. The fact is that dogs are dirty and stinky and messy and rough (hence the appeal for their blokey owners), squashing your flowers and digging through the cat’s litter tray for something tasty. And then they want to come and lick your face! “Come here Fred, there’s a boy! Aww, kisses for me? What’s that lovely mouthwash you’ve been using - because it sure does improve your breath.”

Then there’s the delightful habit of urinating everywhere. When I grew up all our pet dogs were female. I didn’t experience the joys of owning a male dog until I married. Unfortunately his roaming ways (the dog, not my hubby) and lack of social etiquette got him in the bad books with us, and probably most of our neighbours. But among those negatives, the continual peeing on objects and people is really the most unpleasant.

Our doggie visitors have already ‘marked’ the many items around our yard, and I know it won’t be long before they search further for a blank surface on which to leave their signature. It is quite annoying to discover the washing basket has been peed on, and the washing line, and the box that came in the mail and was left at the bottom of the steps. And the scuffs outside the front door. You step into them in the morning and wonder if it rained in the night because they feel suspiciously wet. No rain? Hang onnnn…!

Our current pet Hayley makes the best dog, really. She is friendly to visitors, enjoys attention, eats our leftovers, and loves to go for a walk down the road with us. She is a strong defender of her territory, being seen dealing with black snakes and many helpless rabbits. The only thing is, she’s not a dog, but a cat. But that’s another story…. 

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