A Very Un-Proper Dog!

As many of you know, Beauregard James had surgery the week after I did. The timing was great because it was Winter in Washington and the dogs were able to stay in the house all day, be super warm and lazy all day long. They were very good and would go outside a couple of times a day long enough to 'take care of business,' but there really was no playing. For a little more background - because Lucy is a goat in dog's clothing and Abby is an escape artist, the dogs do no stay in the house all day when we are at work. They have a huge dog yard which is completely fenced and escape free. They also have a 12x12 cinder block shelter built into the hillside that the shed is built on top of. Inside their shelter is 4 igloos and other bedding fit for dogs. Also in their dog yard is lots of dirt for digging, a pool in the summer and all year long there is a fountain so they have fresh water all the time. So, by no means are they thrown outside and neglected. They are well taken care of in the dog yard. Anyway, about a week before I was scheduled to go back to work. Beau decides that he isn't going outside when it's time for me to leave the house or downstairs at bedtime. Well, when you have a dog that weighs 105# when he decides he isn't going somewhere, he pretty much isn't. A couple of time I had to put a leash on him and walk him downstairs. Once JB took him out the front door and put him in the dog yard that way. Buy the time JB got back in the house, Beau was inside and laying down again, thankfully JB had the foresight to put the gate up first. Well that first week of work really kicked my arse! On Thursday I was tired, so I asked JB if he could get the dogs to bed by himself. He said yes, and off I went to bed about 9:30. The dogs get to stay up until the last person goes to bed. So, later I hear JB and Beau fighting about whether Beau is going downstairs or not. JB finally makes it upstairs. He walks into the bedroom, shutting the door very forcefully, and says "Your dog is gonna die!" (Before I get hate mail, he doesn't mean it. Beau lives here, is a member of the family and nothing will ever happen to him.) When he gets into bed, I asked him if he had trouble getting Beau to go downstairs. JB says: Tomorrow when he goes outside after dinner, he's staying outside! And he can stay outside until he can behave like a PROPER DOG! (Proper Dog was said with a British accent.) I laughed so hard. We have now figured out how to outsmart Beau at his own game, but he is now referred to as "the Proper Dog!"