Bear Dog’s New Fence

I missed this guy this weekend:

 

 

But Tony was building this:

 

 

So Buster’s absence was for the best.

 

As homeowners, there is a laundry list of work to be done in addition to the everyday and everyweek chores that keep us clean and healthy and sane.  For us, some of this work has been forced by our dog.  He’s a good dog.  But he’s also a guard dog, one who was abused before he became ours, and one who is EXTREMELY protective of me and the kids.  Apparently he thinks Tony can handle himself.

 

Anyway, the fence on all sides was rotting when we bought the house.  One of Buster’s “good boy” traits is the he is not a jumper.  As such, we have been perhaps too lazy about replacing the fence.  We replaced the part that borders the street after the storm of 2007 that blew it down, and at the same time built the kennel.  Then, last summer, our neighbor, who is a house framer, rebuilt the fence between our properties.

 

This last side was so dead that Tony said the posts just fell apart after the fence panels came off.  If Buster were a jumper, he could have knocked them over for sure.  We clearly should have replaced the fence sooner.

 

One of Buster’s asshole traits, however, is that he is a barker.  And his bark is scary.  And if he thinks you are threatening him after he has barked at you, he will bite.  So it was most definitely a BAD idea to have him home during the fence rebuild – he would have been miserable in the house in 70-degree weather and he would have barked all day long while the fence was down.  This is also the reason that the fence absolutely needed to be replaced; I shudder to think what could have happened if someone (say, a high school student who thinks it’s fun to bark back at my dog, thus provoking him further) were walking by and Buster had pushed through the fence.  If he had felt threatened, he would have defended his home.

 

Lest you think Buster is a total waste of a dog, let me assure you, he is truly wonderful – he just has some issues.  Our friends have to go through a lengthy introduction and approval process, sure, and we don’t have parties here without locking him in the kennel for the night, but he loves us and he loves our kids.  He is funny and cuddly and a great running partner.  And we’ve got some tweaker neighbors so, honestly, I’m thankful that he is protective.  I never worry for the kids when they are left home with a babysitter.

 

It was so weird not having him here the whole weekend.  He boarded at a local kennel, one he loves (and the owners love him), so he was happy.  But I was super lonely.  He really is my best friend.  I was lonely in the car.  I was lonely when I went on a run.  I was lonely when I curled up on the couch in the evening.  Sigh.  For a dog that causes me so much grief, I really love the idiot.