We have been dog-sitting these last two weeks – two golden retrievers with eyes that could melt hearts. The younger was nine months and the elder four years – a teenager and a sensible grown-up. Junior was into everything and was a constant source of irritation/entertainment – delete as appropriate. Sadly, the weather was thoroughly miserable throughout their stay. This didn’t constrain their activities, it just made life harder for the sitters – I had forgotten just how much work is involved in drying and cleaning a dog after winter runabouts and this was times two. Needless to say, I fell for both of them but, especially junior – that said, now they have gone home, it is quite nice to have the house back and I am not missing the 7am walks:
Do not disturb …
Resting between walks
Feeding time – a serious business
Brotherly love
Bed time for the youngest
Too early one morning
northumbrian : light 
Adorable photos. There are certainly pros and cons to having a dog. Our younger daughter, who loves dogs but lives in the city and works so much that she wouldn’t have the time to walk a dog and give it the attention it deserves/needs. She rescued a cat from the street and that works perfectly. The cat is quite loving, too.
janet
Thanks Janet, yes, they are lovely dogs. We belong to a scheme whereby dogs come to us rather than go into kennels. So every few months we dog-sit – they have all been vetted for good behaviour etc so it is quite a good scheme. It is a half-way house to owning a dog but I think, at least for the time being, it has convinced us that actually having one full time might be a burden – and certainly two would be 🙂 An affectionate cat might be the answer 🙂
Her cat likes to sit in your lap and sometimes drapes herself around my daughter’s shoulders. She quite something and much easier to take care of than a dog, especially if you want to travel.
Oh these eyes!
I know – they really have perfected the art of appealing 😉
They are both just adorable!
Indeed, incredibly endearing little pests 🙂
Such delightful photos. I borrow my parents’ lab mix for affection, but I’m happy that I’m usually not the one that has to get up and walk him, unless I dogsit. Dogs have a way of making you feel so loved, but they ate work, too.
*are* work
After two weeks I realise I made strong emotional connection with the young one – I miss him enormously. I can’t imagine any biped having the same effect (the Good Wife excepted, of course :-)). Thanks for the kind comments re the photos.