I’m not sure why I tend to get the pets who have funny quirks. Hmmm, what does that say about me? (Yes, that is a rhetorical question, because we know the answer).

I had a lab years ago that didn’t like to get her feet wet. She would stand under the patio cover for hours waiting for rain to stop so she could go in the yard and go potty. Even then, she was very careful not to step in puddles. She didn’t care if she was a water-dog breed, she didn’t like water.

I had a very large cat that would hide so people couldn’t see him. He’d hide under covers; under a rug; and … in the clear (heavy) plastic bag he liked to play in. It was hilarious to see large humps in the blanket and rug and even funnier to see him in the plastic back believing that we couldn’t see him there.

I have an older black lab now. Over the last several years he doesn’t always want to go potty when he’s told to; particularly in the mornings and evenings before bedtime. Often times when I send him into the back yard to go potty I watch him. I stand by the window or door. The reason for this is that I rescued him when he was two years old. He has serious abandonment issues and wants to know where I am at all times. He seems to be comforted when he can look towards the house and see me.

I can’t help but shake my head and laugh when he’s been told to go out to potty and he stands behind a bush peeking at me to see if I’m looking. He’ll stand there a few moments and then coming running like he just went potty. When I remind him that I can see him and he didn’t go, he’ll go back out. Sometime we do this a few times before he’ll actually go potty.

Oh these dogs and kids, not realizing we’re on to them.