Movers will be arriving next week to make the official transition back into homeowner status.  To be honest, I’ve been putting off work to make that transition.  In part because it is easy to wallow in that ‘buyer’s remorse’ mindset when you got a fair bit to do to make the move (without having loads to do that is).  Yet I am going to be ready to make the move just to get the pup there; more than anything, I am ready to get that little jerk someplace new.

Over the seven months we have lived in Montrose, I have seen good things develop in Auggie the Doggie.  Early after our move, he struggled a bit, and acted out in ways that made me wonder if he was really adjusting well.  Having all the travel I had scared me a little, but it actually was a good thing.  While boarding, he is around other dogs, their smells, and their noise.  While he doesn’t interact with them directly (legal reasons), just having exposure to humans who are me and strange dogs (who surprisingly aren’t me either) seems to have calmed him some.

That’s to say, it hasn’t been a smooth ride in the rental house with the pup.  The front room of the house has two sections of floor-to-ceiling windows, one set having slat windows to open up and let air in.  The pup loves hanging there to watch the world go by.  The slatted window especially because anything comes near gets a good sniff.

Problem is, Montrose, it turns out, is a vermin-friendly town.  More like, there is a high number of little creatures walking around outside.  It’s not uncommon that folks let their cats roam free, and … well … of course … dogs and cats are like dogs and cats.  Also, racoons frequent the neighborhood too.  I think possums may come around, but I can’t always tell.  Regardless, there is a very popular dividing wall between my house and the next one over.  It’s perfect for any creature to crawl up to make it to the next street full of garbage cans and yummies.  This wall, just also happens to be no more than two feet from the slatted window.  So … let’s say Ricky Raccoon is out for his nightly crawl around, and moves up the wall.  Auggie the Doggie notices him and gives a friendly … erm … more like ‘bat-sh*t crazy’ … hello.  Since this is night time, and I’ve usually fallen asleep on the couch with a glass of wine in my hand, you can guess my reaction to the pup’s observations.

Thing is, he would head over there anytime he smells something.  So let’s say he is out and about at 2AM; guess who he wakes up in the effort to give that friendly hello.

Not just that, the rental doesn’t have air conditioning.  It’s been well over the 90s for most of the summer, and when the wind isn’t blowing (or I have to keep the damn slatted window closed because I don’t want him tearing through the screen to get at whatever is out for a walk), the house stays hot for most of the night.  I don’t know about you, but it can be very difficult trying to sleep when a panting dog is doing a vulture impersonation watching for vermin at the edge of the bed.

So I have had to kennel up Auggie at night more often than not these last few months.  This is something he generally puts up with, but he has his limits – especially when I am around (even if I am sleeping).  When he decides he has had enough of the kennel, he’ll start to whimper, and won’t stop until I let him out or he whimpers himself out (which can take sometimes two to three hours).  I’d like to say he only does this when I am trying to sleep in … but more typically we are talking 2 or 3AM.

Like today.  Not only did I have to deal with him ‘saying hello’ out the window at 11PM, the whimpering got underway at 2:30am … and I’ve been up since 3am.

When we get into the house, there are no low windows for him to yelp at things.  There is air conditioning for him to sleep easily.  And there is all the reason for the pup to make it through the night without waking daddy.  Maybe that means he won’t get the vermin interaction he’s had the last few months, but dangit … I’m ready to get a little shuteye.