The Dog Bed Mix-Up

We are expecting puppies. While we plan for puppies and wait not-so-patiently sometimes for their arrival, we were very certain that Jill wasn't going to grace us with a litter. Right up until last week. Last week she went from, "we are definitely not getting puppies. How disappointing," to "I'm pretty sure she's definitely pregnant. Wow. God is good." And then in the space of 3 days she went from "I'm pretty sure she's definitely pregnant. Wow. God is good," to "that poor dog is absolutely huge and has 10 days to go yet." For perspective, dogs are pregnant for 9 weeks. I liken each week to a month for a woman who is expecting since there are 9 of those as well. So this huuuuuge frenchie that we have is the equivalent of 7.5 months along. She has a right to be big, but not huuuuuge. Bless her wee heart.

We crate our dogs here because we always have someone who thinks its a great idea to get in the trash or pee on the floor or chew up something valuable if I'm not around to watch them. I have all of 3 gray hairs and I'm fairly certain that they are a result of trying to figure out how to incorporate multiple dog crates in our house without looking like we have the decorating style of Pet Smart. I have a system going now that isn't horrible, but it makes little sense. We've got 2 large and 2 small crates. That's good because we have 2 larger dogs and 2 smaller dogs. But its not as easy as that. Jack is a bigger dog and has a bigger crate. Margo is a bigger dog and has a smaller crate because she can open the door style of the bigger ones. Jill is smaller and has a smaller crate, and Darla is smaller and has a bigger crate because that's the one she was in when she had puppies and we haven't moved her.

Confused yet? So am I.

But since Jill is expecting, she'll definitely need a bigger crate and its best to acclimate ahead of time so I shifted crates today. It would make sense to just trade Jill and Darla, but Jill's crate is in a corner of the living room and Darla would die a little if she wasn't front and center in the kitchen where she can see me all the time. (She likes to just sit in her crate and watch me sometimes, even when she's not locked in there.) So I put Jill in Darla's big crate, Margo in Jill's small crate and Darla in Margo's just beside Jill.

Now you're really confused. So are the dogs.

Darla is wondering what she did to deserve the demotion and stares at me like she's pleading for mercy. Margo is just very confused. Jill wants the safety of her living room corner back and doesn't care that she's in the maternity suite with more space than she could ever need. She stands at the door and begs to be let out. This arrangement is going to take a lot of getting used to, that's for sure.

And while we're working on remembering who is on first, I'll work on getting a dog to actually sleep in the new bed I made them. (Beds are different than crates. Beds are come and go as you want and crates are where they get locked in. I know. We live confusing lives. Ruled by dogs.)

I've seen these on the internet and Pinterest and was all "meh" about them until I saw that one and then I was like, "THAT IS ADORABLE." So I had to make one. The good thing is that those octagonal tables are so easy to find at Salvation Army, and cheaper than dirt to buy. This one set me back $5. I chose it over the more expensive options not only to save myself money but because it has a simple and basic flat top. None of that beadwork or fancy stuff on it. That's not my style.

That's dark brown wood. We took the two doors off the front before the picture was taken. That was Luke's job. Next I had him primer it. And you get a rare bonus glimpse of the workshop half of the basement.

Dark brown isn't my thing, but black is. So we painted that black. And primer is amazing for adhering to the shiny finish of that end table without sanding first. Sweet.

I know it looks pretty much like it did in the first photo, but I blame the cell phone photography. It really is black now, not dark woodgrain.

After painting it, I lined it with burlap. I figured burlap was a good, cheap liner that kind of looks a bit better if it gets dingy from dogs living in there. (When we convince the dogs that they CAN live in there.) FYI, long staples aren't your best friend. Stick with short ones. Otherwise you'll have to clip off the ends that come out and re-paint where the wood chipped around them. Yeh.

And then I made a dog bed for inside it. I chose not to match fabrics, obviously. The bed is removable and washable, which are good features. Margo had decided that she would sleep there the first day but after that she abandoned it. Micah, however, too it over. It's a parking garage for his trucks. That kid is weird. But he does take good care of his trucks. They get a comfy bed to sleep in.