I was recently out of town for work for a week and a half.   Fortunately we have technology to keep families close.  Mike and I talked via Skype, and I got to connect with him and the pups that way while I was in Montreal.

It’s hard being gone from “my pack” for any length of time.  But in some ways it is more difficult for the one left behind to take care of Harley and Scooter.   Twice a day feedings, walks, buying dog food, scheduling times with the dog walker, etc.  Oh, and lots of time cuddling on the coach!  Harley likes to think he’s a tough dog, but he’s really a big baby.

I would get emails from Mike with photos of the beagles, and he would relate how stubborn or bad they were being, or gross or annoying.  And how they woke him up in the middle of the night barking and hunting (that’s Harley). Scooter even got up on the dining room table!  That’s a new thing with her.  Now we have to make sure the chairs are pushed in and there is no food or anything dangerous she might ingest.  So in addition to having to hang up our garbage bags far from their reach, locks on the lower kitchen cupboards, not leaving our backpacks out, we now have to remember to push in our chairs.  Beagles!

Quote from Mike, in response to one of the delicacies that Harley and Scooter like to eat   way too often – “Gross Damn Beagles!”  These type of statements usually start off with “Do you know what your dogs did today?”

Despite the complaints, I also heard all about how sweet they were, the greetings they gave him when he came home, how he stopped off to buy them some special treats.  Mike loves them even more, I suspect, because they drive him crazy!  Of course, the same thing can be said about me.  Harley and Scooter are stubborn, willful, and often disgusting dogs, but somehow that endears them to us.  Being cute and lovable doesn’t hurt either!

I’ll be on the road again soon.  I’m sure I’ll soon hear all about their misbehavior, and in the same breath, just how sweet they are!