Rearranging My House (and Life!) Around My Dogs: From Gardening to Dating

Hi, I’m Dr. Maja! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my two crossbreed dogs, Lava and Hela.

Dogs. They’re cute, cuddly, lovable, funny, and loyal. They are indeed a man’s best friend (or woman’s in this case). But they are also a great responsibility. One that requires day-to-day planning and thinking things through with more detail. Having dogs, unless you have a trusted and consistent sitter, which I don’t have the privilege of at the moment, means taking them with you every step of the way. And not just them, but their beds, toys, food, bowls, treats, and much more. Caring for dogs is a full-time job.

House Rearrangements

Having dogs means dedicating a good part of the house to their needs. Especially with three of them, this means having three dog beds, at least, when they feel like using them, having steps for the smallest dog, Lajka, as of course, they all prefer to sleep on my bed most of the time. It also means keeping everything out of their reach. This includes my food, the cats’ food and bowls, the cats’ litter boxes (I know, disgusting), the bin, and much more. The list of objects and items they find interesting is never-ending. And it also means having surveillance, or an indoor and outdoor pet camera. No matter where the dogs are, I like to keep a sneaky eye on them, especially when I am not there.

Garden Tweaks

The garden tweaks involve moving everything that they may use to get into trouble, or that they could possibly damage. Hela, in particular, but Lajka as well, loves to chew. This means chewing items that are not meant to be chewed, like the broomstick, anything rubbery, gardening gloves, and similar. All objects and substances, such as the antifreeze, are kept locked up and well away from their reach. The dogs have an outdoor space where they spend time on a long lead and have plenty of space to roam. Hela also loves digging holes, which means my flower beds are well away from her. Even the parking location for visitors is away from Hela, as she has an obsession with tyres, and I can’t guarantee that she won’t do any damage if given a chance.

Travel Arrangements

Now, here we come to a very complex issue. Due to my job obligations, I travel periodically, a distance of around 155 miles in one direction, and this means taking the three four-legged beasts with me. Very occasionally, for longer trips, I am able to find a pet sitter, but this is maybe once or twice on a yearly basis. Routinely, I just take the dogs with me in the car, and they come with me everywhere. If I visit friends, there they are. If I go on a road trip or a date, again, there they are. The car is now fitted with a dog crate in the boot, meaning the space for my stuff has become quite limited. And there is always the addition of dog hair, which can be found literally everywhere.

Dogs on Dates

Another aspect you may not think of often is also going on dates and having three dogs. Leaving three dogs at home for hours can be a recipe for disaster on occasion. Not to mention the barking that may annoy the neighbours. So sometimes, one or more dogs will accompany me on dates. And that can be a disaster on its own. While trying to get to know a new person on a date, and get them to like you in the process, having an energetic dog that pulls on a lead, jumps up, leaves muddy paw prints on clean clothes, likes to mouth for fun, tends to get diarrhea on that exact walk, lunges at other dogs, and so on, sets the bar pretty high. If the date messages afterwards asking for a second meet, they have passed multiple tests and deserve a chance.

Dogs Are Life

All in all, as funny and entertaining, fulfilling and loving as it can be to have dogs, three nonetheless, it’s also a big responsibility and a daily task that many of my friends do not fully grasp. I will set my working and private schedules based on my dogs’ walk and feeding times, plan ahead for any trips and all the supplies I may require, and so on. Do I regret having three dogs now? Generally, no. But I do wonder if life would have been just a little easier if I had stopped at one or two. But on the other hand, leaving a dog in need was never something I could do.