Hudson slept through the night with no issues and I got eight hours of blessed sleep. The dogs woke me at 8:30 to go outside. Hudson got off the couch on his own, walked outside, down the deck steps and into the grass with no assistance. He went potty and then did some short sprints in the grass. He did attempt to walk in the rocks at the back of the yard, but quickly decided he wasn’t yet ready for uneven terrain and returned to the house. I fed the hounds and we all went back to sleep.
We next got up at 12. I ate leftover pizza (Yay! Pizza for breakfast!) and took Dakota home to my parents. They kept me chatting, as usual, so I didn’t get back home until 2. I lay down on the air mattress next to Hudson for just a moment, and woke up four hours later. Tony had joined us sometime during that four hours and we all had slept. Clearly, the Mendralla household was in need of sleep after Hell Week.
We all went outside for a bit and hung out on the deck in the sun. Hudson meandered around the yard, which really seemed to tire him out, since he’s been asleep on the couch ever since we came back in.
Having Dakota gone has really decreased my anxiety level. It’s kind of silly, since she was the easiest dog to deal with. For the most part, she stayed hidden in a corner behind the couch trying to avoid my dogs. She wasn’t a pain, like Lexi, or needy, like Porter. Maybe it’s just that the pressure to make sure all four dogs have eaten, pottied, had water, and all have a nice soft place to sleep is over.
My dogs are snots, and tend to fight over beds. We had three beds for a long time, and they would still fight over one particular bed. We ended up buying another of the favorite bed and now have four dog beds. As any long time pet owner can tell you, always have one more of a hot commodity than you have dogs. If the dogs get Zuke’s bones, I always buy four instead of three. Someone (typically Lexi) will steal someone else’s (typically Porter's) bone. She’ll leave hers on the floor unattended, but if anyone approaches it, she gets attitude. It’s easier just to give Porter another bone and take away her old one. Stupid, but easier. Same with the beds. When Dakota was here, the dogs equaled the beds. Someone was always hacked about who had what bed and many times, Lexi would stretch herself uncomfortably across two beds, just to block someone else from sleeping there. I got tired of refereeing that, which reminds me....
Hudson is definitely starting to feel better. He will only eat about a cup and a half of food at a time and it takes *forever* but he's eating. Lexi decided he was done and that she should finish for him today. She pushed her way past him and started to eat his food. Rather than passively allowing her to, as I half expected, Hudson started a brawl. He had her on her back and cowering in short order. I was so proud.
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