A little boy named Baxter...

So we came home from Bible study last Thursday night to find that "someone" had torn through the flower bed. There were two or three flowers uprooted and three or four that looked like they had been stepped on. Based on the size of the paw prints, I concluded it was Baxter! I was furious. After I calmed down later, I admitted to Evan that it was kind of surprising to me how mad I actually was. I replanted the flowers and tended to the ones who were "hurt" the next day. It also gave me a chance to plant some of the extra plants out by the entrance to our gate. I had to remove (more like pry out) some rather large rocks from the dirt by the gate but I finally got the four remaining grass-like plants (I have already forgotten what they were called) planted. I still have a few pansies that I am trying my best to keep alive in their packages just in case I need a transplant for those who will end up not surviving Thursday night's ordeal.

I love our dogs and Evan and I often talk about them like they are our children. I told Evan that I think I was so angry about the flowerbed on Thursday night because I was really just frustrated that unlike a child, there was no real way of communicating to him that what he did was wrong and that he shouldn't do it again. While I know that this can sometimes be easier said that done with children, especially really young ones, I think would stand a better chance that with Baxter. Unless I stare out the window the entire time he is outside waiting for him to get in the flowerbed again so that at that very moment I can bang on the window or run outside and spank him, I may never be able to help him realize that he does not belong in the flowerbed. I did catch him the other day when I was outside sanding some of our interior doors stepping up to get a better sniff at the flowers and I yelled "NO" but who knows if he will put it all together.

So for now, we have chicken wire covering the flowerbed. We kind of quickly laid it over the planter in a effort to protect it when we went to dinner on Saturday. I can't blame the dogs that when they are by themselves outside for an extended period of time, they are going to explore and sometimes get into trouble. Thankfully, it has seemed to work since it was undisturbed when we got back Saturday night and on Sunday afternoon after church. It doesn't look very good, but it can be removed relatively quickly if needed. Here is a picture: