Adapting to the good life

Buddy, the golden retriever, and Little Girl, the mutt are the outdoor dogs.  Until the house was built, they spent each and every day outside.  Their sleeping quarters were in the garage part of the shed.  During times of extreme temperatures (either too hot or too cold) we feared for their health so when we planned for the new house we actually gave them their own room.  It is down in the basement and has its own outside entrance which is equipped with a doggy door.  There is also another door from that room into the basement which also has a doggy door although it is never left open.

Overall, Buddy and Little Girl have not as yet accepted this room as their own.  In fact there have been times they have been so eager to get out of it that unbeknownst to us they have knocked the dog door covers off and entered the house.  We would learn of this the next morning when we exited our master bedroom (which is upstairs) and they were there to greet us.  If unable to knock the dog doors off, these two dogs have been known to chew the baseboards in the dog room in a futile attempt to find another way out.  So Mike and I have had to come up with a Plan B.

First, Mike bought cages for both dogs and installed them in the dog room.  After sleeping in the cages, Buddy and Little Girl are still going through a period of adjustment.  Buddy objects to going into his cage at night although he seems to be resting comfortably.  Little Girl has no problem going into her cage at night.  However, she must not like staying in it because she chewed up her dog bed.  Completely.  For the sake of our sanity she hasn't yet been given a new one.  At least she hasn't torn up the quilt that is in her cage.

Buddy's first time in his new cage.

Little Girls cage after the chewing incident.

Then, we covered the only window in the room (it is on the door) with a mini blind.  We are hoping if they can't see outside Buddy and Little Girl won't realize when it is storming and they won't work so hard to get out of their safe room.  

Dog room after mini blind installation.
The mini blind is on the top half of the door.  

Maybe the title for this blog should have been no good deed goes unpunished.  However, we have noticed in the last few days that Little Girl goes voluntarily into the dog room during the heat of the day and Buddy doesn't seem to be quite as reluctant to enter his dog cage as he was at first.  Hopefully, these are signs that they are finally adjusting to life in the big house.