December is a hard month for Riggins.  He tends to be a very emotional dog anyway so anything that causes his routine to change adds to his anxiety.  December is a month of activities and holiday parties which means I’m spending less time at home/doing Riggins related things.  This alone doesn’t make him happy but to add insult to injury my outings often put me next to other animals and THAT is the final straw!

It’s the worse when I’m hanging out with his poodle friend Morgan without him, which has happened twice lately.  I come home, open Riggins’ gate and he goes sniffer crazy!  Sniff, aggravated look at me, sniff, sniff, sniff, complexed look, sniff, sniff, a look as if to say, “are you f***ing kidding me?  You saw Morgan without me?  What is wrong with you?  seriously lady I’ve been outside ALONE this entire time and you are off having fun with my friend.  COME ON!,” sniff, sniff, sniff.

My company Holiday party had me at a house with not one but two dogs.  Upon returning I got a sniff, sniff, sniff, “what the H E Double Hockey Sticks is going on now?  Two dogs????”  Sniff, sniff “listen here lady.  Two dogs mean a dog park.  WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING AT A DOG PARK WITHOUT ME???”  Sniff, sniff, sniff, “Don’t try and bribe me with treats.  You are on my naughty list!”  Sniff … “Okay fine, give me the treats.”

Yesterday I came home smelling like a baby AND a cat.  OH THE HORROR.  Riggins response, sniff, “what the …” sniff, sniff, sniff, sniff, sniff, “it can’t be …” sniff sniff, “I thought I knew you!!!!!!!!”… sniff sniff.

AND AS IF THAT ISN’T ENOUGH … Riggins (along with his doggy and kitty cousins) have Christmas presents wrapped under the tree.  They are waaaaay down at the bottom of the pile as far away from a snout as possible but Riggins is a hunter with a keen sense of smell.  He knows they are there . Plus his grandma got all her grandchildren (including Riggins) a countdown to X-Mas garland that has mini-stockings, gloves, & hats with numbers hung on it.  Everyday is a new treat and one day closer to the big day!  BUT JUST ONE TREAT A DAY WHEN THERE ARE TONS MORE JUST HANGING ON THE MANTEL WAITING TO BE GOBBLED UP!   Poor Riggins spends his evenings pacing the 6 feet between the fireplace and the Christmas tree, wondering why he is living such a tortured life!