The Dog Days of Summer

It’s been a doggone crazy week for me. It is Thursday morning and I am on deadline. Of course, deadline is a relative term since I am really supposed to be stockpiling columns for a couple of weeks, so when I am swamped or at a loss for words (ha ha) I can relax and not worry about the “tick, tick, tick” in my head.

My idea for this column hatched Wednesday night as my husband and I finalized our travel plans for next month, yet still haven’t answered the question, who will watch the kids? Our “kids” are of the furry persuasion, two cats and one dog.

The cats came first and have been with me for what seems like - always. When we tied the knot five years ago, Joe inherited Skye and Bauer, who will both be nine this summer. They didn’t seem to notice the transition. Just an extra set of legs to sleep on at the bottom of the bed and twice as many clothes to cover in cat hair. Cats seem to go about their business, not really noticing a change in weather (they are indoor cats), change of season, change of venue (we’ve moved a number of times), change of anything for that matter. Until – you add a dog to the mix.

When Darby arrived on the scene four years ago, Bauer and Skye didn’t “talk” to us for weeks. We were persona non grata – feed us, clean our litter box and leave us alone – meee-ow! The cats keep to themselves, rub up against us every once in awhile – generally when we are in black pants, and swat Darby when ever he passes by just so he knows who is in charge. They live their own lives and sometimes include us.



But, Darby, he is our baby. Non-dog lovers won’t get it. If you have a dog, you understand. If you are childless and have a dog, you’re nodding your head along with me right now - you know. I cry when we leave him for short trips or when he has to get a shot at the vet. I clap when he catches the ball, retrieves a stick, or remembers to wipe his feet before going in the house (we call it the “Darby Dance”). I sign his name to our Christmas cards. His picture hangs in various rooms of our house. I’m pathetic.

Anyway, we can’t convince our beloved pet sitter from the North to travel to South Carolina every day, for nine days, while we are away next month. So, the search begins for a pet-sitter. We need someone to love our “kids” while we are gone.

One of my favorite things about living in Bluffton is the overwhelming number of “dog people.” We live in a dog-friendly community. It is evident at community events, where dogs are often invited to participate i.e. the Ugly Dog Contest. It is evident on the River as many a pup is seen navigating the May from the bow of a boat. It is evident through the acts of concerned citizens who have launched the Bluffton Dog Park effort.

So, I am asking for your help. Who do you trust to pet-sit? Who have you used? Who should I avoid? Send me your best and worst stories. I know you will have the answers.

Earlier this week, a blogger posted the question, “How can you care so much for a dog?”

“He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion." - Unknown