Creature of Habit

Maisie has many routines to which she adheres, most of them centered around my routines...especially in the morning.  Although this is not the first stage of her progression, this is the one I was able to capture today.  Whenever I get out of the shower and finish drying my hair, she changes her location from under the desk in the guest room/office (photo to hopefully be captured later) to the dog bed in the bedroom.

She may try to sleep, but will eye me suspiciously as I get dressed...

She really, really hates to be left home alone, especially because she has to stay in her crate due to her destructive tendencies.  She's always hopeful that she's coming with me wherever I go and often, she does...she even comes to work with me three days a week. But today I am taking a very good friend out to brunch for her birthday, and obviously Maisie is not welcome in the restaurant.

Whenever I leave her crated, I always give her either a frozen marrow bone or frozen Kong (freezing means it takes longer for her to get through them).  I usually stuff the Kong with Evanger's canned ground buffalo or venison, a treat or two and a little cream cheese and/or peanut butter.  Sometimes I change it up and stuff it with cooked sweet potato instead, and that's what she's getting today (along with a couple freeze dried fish treats and a bit of cream cheese).

Although I am recovering from a cold, we already spent 45 minutes at the dog park this morning in an attempt to poop her out before I leave.  Regardless, even after being presented with this frozen deliciousness, she will still undoubtedly act as if her time in the crate is a prison sentence, and unwarranted solitary confinement at that.