Tags
Dog, dogs, dogsitting, DogVacay, Riggins
I’m all for taking credit for a mistake. Just the other day I had to call a co-worker and admit I screwed up and needed her advice on how to fix it. The way I look at it no one is perfect and if you never screw up it just means you weren’t trying hard enough to succeed in the first place. Even though this is my nature during my DogVacay meet and greets I find it easier … just to blame the dogs.
During a meet and greet a dog and his/her folks are coming over to check the place out and see if it is a good fit for an upcoming stay. Normally I have the new dog go to the backyard. I meet the folks out there and discuss their dog, his/her activity level, allergies, etc. Then, when the pup is settled down, I go in and get Riggins and any other dogs I am watching, so they can come say hi and get to know each other. Finally we all head in the house for a tour. This means my house needs to be clean. Heavy sigh.
I clean constantly. CONSTANTLY and yet it is never enough. There is always dog hair and dust on the furniture, dog hair and slobber on the floors, and dirty dishes in the sink. I swear I’ve vacuumed and an hour later really need to do it again. Here is what happens whenever a meet and greet is scheduled:
Day before – “Shoot. I have a meet and greet tomorrow. I need to vacuum, wash the dishes, mop, clean the bathroom, dust, fold/put away clothes, and change the linens. I’ll do that tonight.”
Night before – “I’m too tired. I’ll just go to bed and wake up early to clean.”
Early the morning of the visit – “I’ll sleep until <insert name of dog> gets here and then I’ll vacuum when <insert name of another dog> gets here. Then after our hike I’ll wash the dishes, make the bed (no need to change the linens they aren’t crawling into bed with me), stuff the clothes in the dryer to deal with later, and light the candles. If I keep the lights low they won’t notice I didn’t dust and mop. I’ll put <insert name of dog> in the bathroom and tell the visitors that he/she doesn’t get along with all humans so it is really for their safety he/she is there.”
Later that morning of the visit – “I don’t need to vacuum. More time for a few winks.”
After the hike – “Crap. I have to wash the dishes and light the candles … fast.”
Right before meet and greet – “Just have time to wash the wine glasses but not dry them and put them away. I’ll casually talk about the gathering of friends I had last night (didn’t have — no one wants someone with that many used wine glasses watching their baby). I’ll just pile the clothes onto the bed and say I was in the middle of doing laundry.”
Seconds before the meet and greet – “I’ll just fill the sink with soapy water like I’m getting ready to clean the counters and floor. Screw the rest of it.”
Then during the meet and greet I mention that I just had some really heavy shedders go home and haven’t had time to vacuum yet – lie (Sometimes. I probably had heavy shedders but they went home a couple days ago. Plenty of time for a vacuum.)
The poor sacrificial lamb/dog stuck in the bathroom gets a bad rap just so I don’t have to clean my sink.
I make sure Riggins jumps on my bed when we are in the bedroom and throw up my hands as if to say, “I don’t know how I can get anything done with such nonsense.”
A dirty floor just means we went for a long hike this morning and had so much fun we all got dirty and I didn’t have time to bathe everyone yet.
So the poor dogs take one for the team (the team being me). It is only fair. After all I feed them.