This is Misty. She is old, deaf and blind. She still enjoys life though, and especially resting on the porch, which all the dogs love. The problem is , how to keep water dogs who enjoy the outdoors from ruining the porch and their bedding while drying off before coming inside for the night.
Look at the mud on the back porch. Look at the dogs cramming themselves into the crates. Yes, they love the crates, and tussle with each other for the chance to have the crate to themselves. Another dog will eventually roost on top of the crates. The problem is the Viszla loves to always have bedding under himself and he drags the bedding out into the grass, dirt , or mud to sit on. I have watched him drag the blanket or expensive dog cushion around as he follows the sun spots. Smart, but eventually the bedding is soaked or filthy or both and often ruined, especially if the dogs play tug of war with the bedding.
My husband and I don't like the place to look like a doghouse, which is why we put a gate on the back porch and the dogs have to dry off before they come inside for the night. But we also want the porch to look nice. Practical, and nice. What to do, what to do?
I found these dog beds when I googled "Durable dog beds". Up popped these dog beds by
Coolaroo at HealthyPets.com . They promise to be durable, easy to clean, and they were relatively inexpensive. They also arrived within 2 days of ordering. I assembled them easily.
Look! Two dogs on each bed.
The dog beds are supposed to be cleaned by hosing down, I like that.
I think the beds are a winner as far as the dogs are concerned. Now I have to again pressure wash the back porch and scrub the railings. We are painting the house this summer ( if summer ever comes ) and then I think I will put a protective barrier on the back porch siding of the house, a WASHABLE protective barrier.
Shortly after I put the beds on the back porch I saw one of the Labs scratching fiercely at the bedding to do her usual shredding of the bedding. The canvas remains undamaged. So far these beds are a big thumbs up for me. I will let you know later if the beds withstand the abuse 4 dogs can dish out.
This handsome ( in my opinion ) ram lamb is the son of Bide-a-wee Buttercup and Cedar Pond's Goth. I named him Basil as a newborn, but have decided this will not be his registered name as I have watched him grow up. He has grown rapidly and at 2 months of age was as tall as his Mom. He looks very much like his father, Goth, at this age but I think his horns are showing signs they will be better than his father's magnificent rack. When I named Goth, it was after the Barbarian people groups of Europe, etc. For some reason it seemed appropriate given the nature of rams and invading, fighting barbarians.
Here is a recent photo of Basil with his mom, Bide-a-wee Buttercup. I named last years ram lamb 'Vandal'. The Vandals were a people group too and the name also fit his tendency early on to vandalize all our fencing, walls, and gates.
Here is a family group. In front is Buttercup and Basil, in back, daughter Valkyrie ( she has 5 horns ) and Chicory, Buttercup's sister , far left.
Valkyrie and Swallow Lane Barnaby produced this fine ram lamb. He has blue eyes, 4 nice horns, and a lovely fleece as far as I can tell right now. I am naming the son of Valkyrie and Barnaby 'Viking'. That would be another notorious invading barbarian people group. So, what to name Basil ? Why I think 'Barbarian', what do you think? Cedar Pond's Barbarian, works for me.
