Chillin' with Bunny, couch potato

Bunny is moving up in the world.

Thanks to lightning and thunder.

My beagle mix is terrified of storms. Even when she hears rain on the roof, Bunny is looking for a place to hide.

Let me back up some.

---

First off, a little sad note, we’re coming up on one year of Buddy’s passing. Recall that I literally found Buddy wandering in the middle of U.S. 41 in Floral City, loaded him in the car, and brought him home.

I had never done anything like that before. We started on the ground floor. I knew I needed a crate, as Buddy was having difficulty adjusting to the idea that he couldn’t do his business whenever or wherever he wanted, especially not in the house.

Potty training for Buddy was very frustrating. He was an older dog, probably kept outside most of his life, and had trouble with the new rules.

I bought a crate and, happily, Buddy took to it. I closed him in the crate whenever I left the house, and also at night.

One day, Buddy went to the door to go out. Not long after that, I left the crate open at night to see how he’d react. Before long, Buddy was totally free from crate lockup and would only go in there when he felt like it.

So, six months after Buddy’s passing, I brought Bunny home from the Animal Shelter. She seemed to quickly grasp the crate and the need to do business outdoors. But she can also get a little wired, and I didn’t feel comfortable letting her roam while I’m gone from home.

Fortunately, Bunny loves the crate. She senses I’m leaving, and in the crate she goes on her own without my saying a word. That would have worked just fine if not for the summer storms.

My poor dog shakes even when it rains. Thunder and lightning…forget it. Readers have given me lots of great advice, and it’s helped plenty. The best was finding a place for her where she feels safe during bad weather.

That spot is the laundry room. It’s dark, compact, and has no windows. I placed on the floor a blanket, pillow, and a couple of T-shirts. I call it Bunny’s apartment.

Well, we had a dilemma. Bunny can't access the apartment while I'm gone if she's locked in the crate. I couldn't do that to her.

So, I recently left the crate door open while gone for a few hours. When I returned home during a rainstorm, she was resting comfortably in her apartment.

Then the clincher occurred a few days ago. I’ve been trying to coax Bunny onto the couch, just like Buddy. She showed no interest. Came home the other day, and my 4-legged friend is hanging out on the couch waiting for me.

Bunny is no Buddy, and I don’t want her to be. Buddy’s urn sits on a table next to the couch. I think of him often, and I miss him.

But there’d be no Bunny without Buddy first. And now Bunny is settling in, running the show around here just like her predecessor.

Love the dog. She makes my tail wag.

Have a great weekend, friends.

Join the discussion on our Facebook page.

Support the blog by subscribing to JWC Inner Circle for 99 cents/month.

Individual donations are appreciated through Venmo, PayPal, or Patreon.