Sharing a small townhouse with two large, exuberant, hairy and above all – shedding – dogs can get annoying. Yesterday I finally had enough. I rushed out and bought a baby gate for the bottom of our stairs. Pippin watched me install it with an air of great gloom. He understood. The good times were over:
It’s a huge relief to have a “dog free” zone upstairs. They are only allowed up when we feel like it. Meantime, a great deal of canine hurt feelings:
But I don’t care! Up to now, if I did not vacuum the stairs at least every second day, we would have our own, rather hairy ski slope. Now (I hope) the dogs, and their hair, will be confined to the downstairs section.
Although I must admit that Pippin is allowed upstairs to perform his duty as “bath dog”. This involves keeping a close eye on me while I’m in the bath, in case I slip down the plug hole. He usually does this while he is fast asleep on his back, and snoring because he has his nose jammed up against the toilet.
Masha du Toit 
Apr 12, 2010 @ 18:55:52
I am considering the same injustice to our dogs too. Only problem is our cats, who have run of the upstairs (which is the reason for doggy raids upstairs). I imagine the cats are nimble enough to get past something as mundane as a small gate. I think the time has come in our household.
Apr 12, 2010 @ 19:59:20
Oh yes. I think that would meet with the full approval of your cats. The gate would act as a sort of “pet filter” , permeable to cats, but straining out the dogs 🙂