Before last week I only worked mon, wed, and fri from 8am-3 or 4pm and Sam was crated while I was at work and at night while we were sleeping. Well that job wasnt cutting it so i was looking for another daycare job and I went into this huge, awesome daycare (when you walk in there is this huge mcdonalds playground type thing and they have an enormous gym w/ 2 huge pits filled w/ foam cubes and an outdoor playground and concession stand that sells candy, cookies, muffins, hotdogs, nachos etc.) 2 fridays ago to ask for and application. He asked me to start mon. which was last mon. I said ok and then I got home and was freaking out about what to do w/ Sam. I thought she was being crated too much already. Theres no way she could be in her crate all night then again from 8 (when I leave) til 7 (when I get home) then again all night. Thats literally almost 20 hrs a day. Well I had the idea of taking her to my mom and dad's house. See I live 30 min from my new job which is in Little Rock. My parents live about a mile from my new job. I have to pass their neighborhood on my way to work. They have a HUGE privacy fenced yard and they have a mountain curr named Dixie who Sam enjoys playing w/. So now every weekday morning Sam rides there w/ me and spends all day romping and playing outside w/ Dixie. When my Dads home (he works out of town) he messes around w/ them and has even been taking Sam squirel hunting (Dixie is his squirel dog). Sam LOVES it. She is a totally different dog. She listens so much better at home and isnt running around, jumping on everyone and getting into everything anymore. She is so calm. It beneficial in so many ways. She gets to ride in the car for an hour total each day. She enjoys car rides and it gets her very used to the car. She gets to socialize w/ Dixie. She gets exercize and playtime that she wouldnt get at home and she gets out of the crate. I know I am against having an outdoor only dog but this is not the same as that. Its not like she is outside when I am home. When my family gets home before I come to pick her up they even let her in their house (their dog is strictly outdoors). Basically she is ontly spending time outside that she would be spending crated. She loves being outside and she loves Dixie. Being w/ me all the time would be ideal but this is the 2nd est thing as far as she's concerned. I am uneasy about her being outside when no one's home but the fence is secure and it is a privacy fence. The neighbors are trustworthy and they have dogs as well (there's only a house on one side of theirs). Its a very nice expensive neighborhood. No crime so far. I would never leave sam outside unsupervised in my neighborhood. I dont trust my neighors or all kids that play in my yard and the houses are so crowded here. Not to mention our yard isnt fenced.
She is only crated at night now and in the evening if we leave for some reason and on weekends if we go somewhere for a short while. Also if the weather is too cold she will stay home in her crate.
Anyway that is whats going on w/ Samantha. Her life has changed greatly and the results are amazing. Also she is close to where I am so I can check on her on my break and I could be there quickly in the case of an emergency.
She is only crated at night now and in the evening if we leave for some reason and on weekends if we go somewhere for a short while. Also if the weather is too cold she will stay home in her crate.
Anyway that is whats going on w/ Samantha. Her life has changed greatly and the results are amazing. Also she is close to where I am so I can check on her on my break and I could be there quickly in the case of an emergency.