a boy and his dog

Abbey (our dog) drives me absolutely crazy.  Because of her, I'm not sure I will EVER have patio furniture.  She would chew it to bits.  Although I probably would not choose to have a dog if we didn't have children, it's moments like these that I understand why she is so good for them...

That is her electric collar lying next to her.  Bryan takes it off each night before putting her in her kennel for the night.  That collar is the only thing that keeps her from ripping out all the drip lines in our flowerbeds and around our trees.  If she goes near them it shocks her.  If only I had a remote control...

You may wonder why she goes in the kennel each night?  We put her in there and cover it with a sheet - just like a bird.  It keeps her from barking at the cats that walk along our back wall each night.  Cats that belong to the same neighbor who complains when she barks????