A Weekend Alone
Poor Duncan has had a hard weekend. I had to spend this weekend away from home to attend some seminary classes in a nearby town. I was close enough to home, but to join the other pastors in the retreat experience I usually stay there over the weekend. Duncan was going to stay with my parents over the weekend, however they are currently working on striping their hardwood floors to refinish them. A very fun job. The floor sander they've rented would have terrified poor Duncan I am sure. So instead, they came over to my house several times during the weekend to feed and let Duncan outside for awhile. Unfortunately they had a very difficult time getting Duncan to go out side. Friday evening they were not able to get him to go out, so I drove back home after my sessions were done for the day (about 9:30 at night) and not only let him out, but took him for a little walk. This would be the first night that he would spend alone and without me since I had gotten him. Call me sentimental, but I was going to miss him and I was worried about how he would handle being home alone over night. (Of course he had Gracie to keep him company, but she's "just a cat" as far as he's concerned.) The next day I called to check on how things were going and my Mom said again that they were having a really hard time getting him to go outside. Duncan definitely knows my parents. They are not strangers to him at all. He sees them very frequently. But I guess not having me there for so long was just too much for him and he just didn't trust them in the uncertain situation. They were able to get him to go outside with difficulty though, so I did not come back home on Saturday at all. And of course, when I got home this afternoon, he was definitely ready to go for a ride with me. We went up to the church for a friend's bridal shower and afterwards we went for a walk on the church property. He seems to be just fine now. None the worse for wear I guess. I need to get more details about exactly what Duncan's behavior was in response to them trying to get him to go outside. I haven't had a chance to talk to my Mom at length yet.
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4 Comments:
Hi Tatha! Logan reacted exactly the same way when I had to fly to Atlanta for my aunt's memorial service in February. Logan had been with us for a year and had obviously been around the WHOLE family that whole time. However, while I was gone they had to carry him outside every time and he would only go to bed in his "night-time bed" if my oldest son called him over. I left Friday morning and was home the middle of the afternoon on Monday and he had all of his pet "siblings" there with him. None of them were "Mommy" though, and he is definitely a "Mommy's Boy." When I walked in the door on Monday, it was like I had never been gone. He bounded outside with the other dogs, took care of business and came running back in. My husband said our 13-year-old Dalmatian spent a lot of time laying by the door to the garage waiting for me to come home, so I guess it isn't just a "puppy mill" dog thing. Pets get very used to their routine and when certain people should be home. I'm so glad Duncan was his old self when you got back. I know I was very relieved when Logan didn't have any setbacks after I returned.
I took Rex to Petco this weekend because he has been doing so great at home and his "Sheltie Skin" or DM is doing so well. I wanted all of his "people friends" at LL Dog Rescue to see how well he is doing. Hope to see you there soon!!
Lynne
Bea and Byrdie don't cooperate for their 'grandparents' either- left them for 11 days a year ago, and they were so upset that we had 'issues' for months afterwards! I sure hope you can get a straight story from your parents on his behavior and next time he is more cooperative.
I'm not surprised- but are you a minister, or studying to be a minister? I always seem to be drawn to heavily faithful people!
Most of my clients are either members of my church, or people with great faith. Just anohter way that God is providing for me, I'm sure.
Ellen,
Yes I am an Elder with the Community of Christ. My work would be comprable with lay ministry. I am currently in an experimental Patoral Training Program that my church is trying out. Most of our Pastors and full time ministers have not attended Seminary, and there has been a cry for some sort of training. You can visit my church's website at http://cofchrist.org and you can visit my congregation's website at http://kchighlands.org if you're interested!
Sorry it took so long to get back in here! I checked out the sites- seems like a great church to be involved in- mine is too. I belong to a Presbyterian church near my home where most members are very involved in both the church and the community in spreading God's word by example. We also are involved in Mission work to help others- we've sent 3 groups down to the Gulf coast to rebuild (check out their blog at http://rgpckatrina2.blogspot.com )and have another trip planned for this fall. We also have a high school mission group since 1965, and college age group and an older adult group that does a work weekend at local Summer camps that I generally go on. that one is in 2 weeks. I also went down to Louisiana a year ago to work- that was a great experience, I'd love to go again, but Bea and Byrdie don't behave very well when I leave them, so I'll have to stick to shorter trips.
Glad I came back in to see how Duncan is doing- he's doing so well, it's just terrific- keep up the good work!
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