Second Chances are for Suckers!

This is Pete

During a daily play session

He is a Miniature Schnauzer.

He is almost two years old.

He has completed Advanced obedience training, and he was on his way to becoming a Canine Good Citizen.

But wait, there's more!

About a year ago, I arrived home for lunch one day to find a disaster area in our apartment living room.

Pete ate about half of one of my knitting books, tore the cover off of another along with several pages (the chart key!), chewed the corners off of yet another knitting book, and ripped the novel Chris was currently reading to shreds.

We have since replaced those books, but Pete started spending his time alone in his kennel.

Some friends said Pete must have been bored to become so destructive, but that dog has more "interactive" thinky-get-the-treat toys and chew bones than he needs. We also walked him (and still do!) consistently.

I killed Santa.

He was simply being destructive.

I chewed up my blanket. Now I'm stuck...

Fast-forward to today (well, this past Tuesday), and I felt like we could try leaving Pete in the house again. Alone.

All of the doors to the rooms with things Pete might destroy were closed.

This sweet face wouldn't do a thing!

Bathrooms? Check. No toilet paper roll ripping for Petey!

Laundry room? Check! No sock destruction for him, either!

Craft room? Definitely! Pete tried to sneak paintbrushes out of the room right under my nose once.

Well, I was gone about 1 1/2 hours Tuesday afternoon, and he didn't destroy anything. Yippee!

Wednesday morning, I gave him a treat, shut the doors to the tempting rooms, and went to work. When I came home for lunch, I found no damage! I was pleasantly surprised. He changed! He changed!

Aaaaand today.

Today when I went home for lunch I found shredded paper, a destroyed bracelet, a shredded sock, pillows everywhere, and tissues.

I am fairly sure the paper was either a knitting pattern or a printed order confirmation I left on the coffee table. My dog was on the coffee table.

We've had some issues with our house settling and our doors no longer latching, and I would bet that is how Pete got into the craft room to get to the bracelet. Which my mother gave me, by the way!

Totally destroyed!

Well, the flowers might be salvageable. They were applique, so I might be able to stitch them to another item.

The sock was Chris's, and I'm pretty sure Pete shredded another one (or three) while we still lived in our apartment, so I can only hope that those were a matching set... I believe it was left out under the loveseat, so I can blame Chris for that one, at least! (Haha!)

He didn't chew on the pillows, but he must have been playing "the floor is lava" with the couch and loveseat.

And the tissues? The only tissues I have are in boxes on the end tables. My dog was climbing on my end tables.

Slightly guilty-looking dog

As soon as I opened the door to the laundry room to get the Swiffer, Pete darted in and grabbed one of my socks!

What has gotten into my dog?!

I don't destroy things...

Well, he is back to spending his alone time in his kennel. I let him out when I go home for lunch, and we play frisbee after I get home. Luckily for Pete, I only work 5 hours a day right now.

I would leave him outside with some water and some shade, but he has already dug up my marigolds!

Mud!

I guess some dogs just can't be alone!

This is what I think about that!

And here I was thinking about adopting another puppy.


*****
This is Thursday's post. I guess I hit "save" instead of "publish." Whoops! 

I hope you got a laugh out of Pete and his antics. He really isn't a bad dog, he's just spoiled!