Destruction...

When we thought about getting a dog (almost 4 years ago now) I was absolutely in love with the idea. I will admit, I had some doubts...not knowing what all being a dog owner would involve. But we jumped into it wholeheartedly. I was completely unprepared for the destruction that Dexter...our 10 pound dachshund...would cause. It started the day we moved into our first home. Dexter decided that the wall in the kitchen tasted really good. While Norman and I were at work, we had Dexter gated in the kitchen (to prevent him from destroying anything...yeah, that was a good idea). Dexter found a spot on the wall to lick...and lick, and lick...seemingly for 8 hours straight! When Norman and I got home...this spot on the wall was so wet and soggy that it had caved in...creating a big hole in our wall. I then noticed that Dexter had also chewed on the edge of the door frame! That was the first time I can remember getting really mad at our dog and questioning whether we were cut out to be dog owners. I learned how to Spackle and fixed the hole in the wall...along with several others that he soon created. Thankfully, Dex's "drywall eating" phase soon ended and he found a new item to destroy. Anything stuffed. Since then, Dexter has managed to destroy MANY dog beds...too many to count. I have sewed many pillowcases out of triple hemmed heavy duty canvas to try and slow his path of destruction. And Creed (our younger dog), has discovered how to dig through a supposedly "indestructible" dog cot! After nearly breaking my ankle trying to hurdle the dog gate in our kitchen one night, I was finally fed up with having this huge contraption in my new kitchen and hauled the whole thing downstairs to the garage where the dogs now stay during the day while we are gone. I have given up on the cushy dog beds and cots (they of course have a heater...I'm not inhumane after all)! The picture is evidence of ONE of Dexter's kills.