I'm on my way home Lincoln!
The past ninety days have been a training ground for Lincoln. He's learned to adapt to my new schedule, which keeps changing. So, we created a routine. IF there's a break in that routine ....let's just say, makes Lincoln a very bad dog. Oh, don't tell him I called him a dog...shhh (he doesn't know).
I worked from 3:00pm - 12:00 am for a few weeks. He was not happy, but we worked out a routine. He actually got fed three times a day instead of just two. I fed him when we woke up, I fed him before I went to work and I fed him when I got home. I also left a light on in the livingroom and in the master closet. You know, in case he needed to see his way around. Sometimes I even left HGTV on...with the agreement that he wouldn't try to build anything while I was gone.
So, here's what happened one day. I fed him and left on time, but I forgot something. I forgot to leave the lights on. Now, Lincoln has a way to let me know if or when he's upset. This was a new trick though and I have to give it to him....it got my attention.
I came home from work around midnight and the house was dark. I immediately realized my mistake, what I didn't know is that Lincoln was going to make sure I realized my mistake.
Lincoln is VERY smart and sneaky. He does things and I have no idea how or when he does them. They just sort of ...happen.
Back to my story. I came in the dark house and turned on the lights and apologized in such a sweet voice. Then it happened! I know this is going to be hard to believe, but it's the truth.
I looked around and there was a pill bottle chewed to pieces in the middle of the living room. I freaked out... "What have you done!" I kept my medication in the bottom drawer in the bathroom. Drawers closed.... here's the thing....the drawer was still closed. However he had taken one bottle of a "tamper proof" medication, chewed it open and....hid the pills. He didn't eat or chew up one of them...nope, he hid them. Guess where he hid them? He stuffed them in the lining of his bed.
Who's in charge here? I thought to myself. Then I realized...he is....
I went into the bathroom and the drawer was closed and nothing else had been disturbed. He's good about cleaning up after himself...lol! Not one pill was missing...not one. They were all hidden in his bed, stuffed between cushions. Guess who never forgot to leave the lights on again?
Is he a bully? Only if he doesn't get his way...lol.
So, another day I had to leave a little early. I fed him and kept the routine, but I had left a little before I usually did. I got home, I left the lights on...but he was unhappy. I have a metal trash can in my bathroom that opens by a pedal. He rarely bothers it. But that day he took out a single size Doritos bag out of the trash can, turned it inside out and left it in the middle of the living room where I would see it when I came home. Nothing else in the trash can had been disturbed, nothing had been moved. He took out that one article, turned it inside out and left it in the middle of the room.
So, I thought, maybe he likes Doritos (even though I got the message). I left a single size bag of Cheetos open on purpose. I thought, "I bet he'll turn this inside out and lick the stuffings out of it!" I just knew he would. Guess what? Nothing! He wanted nothing to do with it. It seemed that it only mattered if he had a message to convey.
Then my schedule changed to 2:00 to 10:30. He seemed to like the fact that I was home earlier, but wasn't too thrilled with me leaving earlier, but no harm, no foul.
Then my schedule changed again...2:30 to 11:00. Guess what I came home to? A single square of toilet paper sitting in the middle of the living room. Nothing else touched, not out of the trash can...he got a new one and left it for me to find. Not kidding!
So, today I left earlier than I usually do, but I knew I'd be home before I usually left. I kept saying, "Hold on Lincoln, I'm on my way home!" Pretty sure he didn't hear me... although I hadn't left a light on and it was past time for me to leave for work and I hadn't fed him yet. I was about an hour late coming home from errands. I didn't know what to expect.
Guess what? I think he heard me because he didn't leave me any messages, he was content and not one thing was disturbed. Yep, he's definitely has his opinions, but I think somehow, he got my message and all was well when I got home.
I fed him, we took a nap, then went for a walk and ...once again happiness ruled this home. Thanks Lincoln....thanks for waiting for me!
I worked from 3:00pm - 12:00 am for a few weeks. He was not happy, but we worked out a routine. He actually got fed three times a day instead of just two. I fed him when we woke up, I fed him before I went to work and I fed him when I got home. I also left a light on in the livingroom and in the master closet. You know, in case he needed to see his way around. Sometimes I even left HGTV on...with the agreement that he wouldn't try to build anything while I was gone.
So, here's what happened one day. I fed him and left on time, but I forgot something. I forgot to leave the lights on. Now, Lincoln has a way to let me know if or when he's upset. This was a new trick though and I have to give it to him....it got my attention.
I came home from work around midnight and the house was dark. I immediately realized my mistake, what I didn't know is that Lincoln was going to make sure I realized my mistake.
Lincoln is VERY smart and sneaky. He does things and I have no idea how or when he does them. They just sort of ...happen.
Back to my story. I came in the dark house and turned on the lights and apologized in such a sweet voice. Then it happened! I know this is going to be hard to believe, but it's the truth.
I looked around and there was a pill bottle chewed to pieces in the middle of the living room. I freaked out... "What have you done!" I kept my medication in the bottom drawer in the bathroom. Drawers closed.... here's the thing....the drawer was still closed. However he had taken one bottle of a "tamper proof" medication, chewed it open and....hid the pills. He didn't eat or chew up one of them...nope, he hid them. Guess where he hid them? He stuffed them in the lining of his bed.
Who's in charge here? I thought to myself. Then I realized...he is....
I went into the bathroom and the drawer was closed and nothing else had been disturbed. He's good about cleaning up after himself...lol! Not one pill was missing...not one. They were all hidden in his bed, stuffed between cushions. Guess who never forgot to leave the lights on again?
Is he a bully? Only if he doesn't get his way...lol.
So, another day I had to leave a little early. I fed him and kept the routine, but I had left a little before I usually did. I got home, I left the lights on...but he was unhappy. I have a metal trash can in my bathroom that opens by a pedal. He rarely bothers it. But that day he took out a single size Doritos bag out of the trash can, turned it inside out and left it in the middle of the living room where I would see it when I came home. Nothing else in the trash can had been disturbed, nothing had been moved. He took out that one article, turned it inside out and left it in the middle of the room.
So, I thought, maybe he likes Doritos (even though I got the message). I left a single size bag of Cheetos open on purpose. I thought, "I bet he'll turn this inside out and lick the stuffings out of it!" I just knew he would. Guess what? Nothing! He wanted nothing to do with it. It seemed that it only mattered if he had a message to convey.
Then my schedule changed to 2:00 to 10:30. He seemed to like the fact that I was home earlier, but wasn't too thrilled with me leaving earlier, but no harm, no foul.
Then my schedule changed again...2:30 to 11:00. Guess what I came home to? A single square of toilet paper sitting in the middle of the living room. Nothing else touched, not out of the trash can...he got a new one and left it for me to find. Not kidding!
So, today I left earlier than I usually do, but I knew I'd be home before I usually left. I kept saying, "Hold on Lincoln, I'm on my way home!" Pretty sure he didn't hear me... although I hadn't left a light on and it was past time for me to leave for work and I hadn't fed him yet. I was about an hour late coming home from errands. I didn't know what to expect.
Guess what? I think he heard me because he didn't leave me any messages, he was content and not one thing was disturbed. Yep, he's definitely has his opinions, but I think somehow, he got my message and all was well when I got home.
I fed him, we took a nap, then went for a walk and ...once again happiness ruled this home. Thanks Lincoln....thanks for waiting for me!
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