I have a really good relationship with my brother and his wife. When I moved back to Canada they graciously opened their home to me and let me stay for three months while I looked for work and a place to live and bring my family to. It was a huge sacrifice on their part, they were fairly newlywed and my sister in law was pregnant with their first child. She had never met me and my brother and I had not lived under the same roof since I had been in high school - a long time ago.
We hit it off famously. I am so very glad we were able to spend that time together as it forged for us a bond which has lasted to this day. My brother and I bonded over movies and soccer games and being "siblings" again. My sister in law and I bonded over being two women in a house with one man. Now unfortunately we live over five hours away from one another and we miss being able to hang out. The best part of it was we didn't have ONE argument. I am pretty certain that others in my immediate family are stunned over this. I think it's kind of funny. We are all very strong minded, very opinionated adults and we managed to make the time together a wonderful one, with NO exceptions.
J2 (my bro) and his wife have moved recently into a new home and they now have a yard and a space for a DOG!
All of our growing up years we have had dogs. J2 has always been the most devoted to the pets, he just loves them. Of all 5 kids, he is the most gentle, most natural "dog" person. Since he has been married, he and his wife have lived in apartments and townhomes and other non-dog allowing places. They have always planned that once they move into their own home they will get a dog.
Earlier this week I was talking to my sister in law on the phone. She is also a pet lover and a rescuer of pets, not unlike my spouse. She has been watching news on tv of local shelters having to put down animals from being overcrowded and she has been trying to convince J2 that they should adopt a dog sooner than the original plan of this upcoming summer. J2 has managed to stay firmly attached to his decision of waiting until it is warmer. Des had some blankets and other supplies to drop off at the local animal shelter and J2 (wisely) instructed her (firmly) to stay away from the shelters! He knows she would not be able to resist bringing home an addition to the family. While we were talking I told Des that training a puppy to use the bathroom outside is easier in the winter than in the summer, because the dogs will go to the bathroom sooner in the cold. She passed on my suggestion to J2 and he suggested in return that I jump in a frozen lake! He does not want to train a dog in the wintertime - especially since temperatures this week have plummeted to below 40 degrees and colder.
Fast forward to last night. When I go to school I have to travel to another town. A friend in class has graciously opened her home to me to stay at when I travel, saving me the cost of a hotel room every two weeks. A few weeks ago I offered to her that if she ever needed us to help her out in any way we would be more than happy to. This week she asked us to keep her two dogs for a week while she travelled out of the province. Of course we were happy to oblige, and I promptly forgot she was coming. Shel called me last night at work to let me know our guests had arrived. Odie (an older and very gentle dog) and Fozzie(a german Shepherd PUPPY less than 3 months old) were making themselves at home.
When I got home after midnight it was my turn to take the puppies to the bathroom. Our two dogs are very familiar with the routine - I go to the door, open it, let them out and in a few minutes let them back in. With two new dogs in the mix this is not a good idea at midnight. We live on an acreage and I didn't want "roaming" dogs who didn't know me at all and therefore may not answer me when I called them. I let our dogs out first, then I had to dress and go out one at a time with Odie and Foz.
My theory on how dogs will go to the bathroom quicker in the cold ..... not true. My theory that dogs who don't know me from Adam won't come when I call them ... true. The temperature last night, a balmy -28 degrees celcius.
The puppy slept in his own crate brought from home and he cried all night. I got up twice to take him to the bathroom and both times had to totally dress and go outside. It was cold. He didn't get any quicker as the night went on.
We hit it off famously. I am so very glad we were able to spend that time together as it forged for us a bond which has lasted to this day. My brother and I bonded over movies and soccer games and being "siblings" again. My sister in law and I bonded over being two women in a house with one man. Now unfortunately we live over five hours away from one another and we miss being able to hang out. The best part of it was we didn't have ONE argument. I am pretty certain that others in my immediate family are stunned over this. I think it's kind of funny. We are all very strong minded, very opinionated adults and we managed to make the time together a wonderful one, with NO exceptions.
J2 (my bro) and his wife have moved recently into a new home and they now have a yard and a space for a DOG!
All of our growing up years we have had dogs. J2 has always been the most devoted to the pets, he just loves them. Of all 5 kids, he is the most gentle, most natural "dog" person. Since he has been married, he and his wife have lived in apartments and townhomes and other non-dog allowing places. They have always planned that once they move into their own home they will get a dog.
Earlier this week I was talking to my sister in law on the phone. She is also a pet lover and a rescuer of pets, not unlike my spouse. She has been watching news on tv of local shelters having to put down animals from being overcrowded and she has been trying to convince J2 that they should adopt a dog sooner than the original plan of this upcoming summer. J2 has managed to stay firmly attached to his decision of waiting until it is warmer. Des had some blankets and other supplies to drop off at the local animal shelter and J2 (wisely) instructed her (firmly) to stay away from the shelters! He knows she would not be able to resist bringing home an addition to the family. While we were talking I told Des that training a puppy to use the bathroom outside is easier in the winter than in the summer, because the dogs will go to the bathroom sooner in the cold. She passed on my suggestion to J2 and he suggested in return that I jump in a frozen lake! He does not want to train a dog in the wintertime - especially since temperatures this week have plummeted to below 40 degrees and colder.
Fast forward to last night. When I go to school I have to travel to another town. A friend in class has graciously opened her home to me to stay at when I travel, saving me the cost of a hotel room every two weeks. A few weeks ago I offered to her that if she ever needed us to help her out in any way we would be more than happy to. This week she asked us to keep her two dogs for a week while she travelled out of the province. Of course we were happy to oblige, and I promptly forgot she was coming. Shel called me last night at work to let me know our guests had arrived. Odie (an older and very gentle dog) and Fozzie(a german Shepherd PUPPY less than 3 months old) were making themselves at home.
When I got home after midnight it was my turn to take the puppies to the bathroom. Our two dogs are very familiar with the routine - I go to the door, open it, let them out and in a few minutes let them back in. With two new dogs in the mix this is not a good idea at midnight. We live on an acreage and I didn't want "roaming" dogs who didn't know me at all and therefore may not answer me when I called them. I let our dogs out first, then I had to dress and go out one at a time with Odie and Foz.
My theory on how dogs will go to the bathroom quicker in the cold ..... not true. My theory that dogs who don't know me from Adam won't come when I call them ... true. The temperature last night, a balmy -28 degrees celcius.
The puppy slept in his own crate brought from home and he cried all night. I got up twice to take him to the bathroom and both times had to totally dress and go outside. It was cold. He didn't get any quicker as the night went on.
My brother - he's a smart dude.
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