Dogs Are a Household Necessity

Not five year ago, The Covenants and Restrictions (CC&R’s) at almost all condominiums and gated communities forbid having animals. Even apartments complexes didn’t have any such thing as a “companion animal.” I was one of those hard-liners who did not like dogs, had never owned a dog, and wasn’t about to change! Since “change” is a common word these days, it now applies to dogs! After having several dogs run over when my children were young and they cried to weeks, I said, “No more dogs. You get your own dog when you grow up.”

Not only did they grow up and get dogs, but one of my daughters “gave me” one to “keep me company.” I flatly refused to keep Princess, a little white and beige Lhasa Apso. I am an older professional woman who is not retired; consequently, I had no time or desire to have a dog. Come to find out, my daughter who is a flight attendant, bought the dog for $500! When they were children, the neighbors had puppies and we took one for FREE. She begged me to at least take Princess for 2 weeks until she found a sitter. Dogs now need a sitter, of all things. They call them dog “hotels.” So actually the dog wasn’t purchased for me, but she found out she couldn’t leave for days on a flight and have a dog! Of course, we as parents will never learn our lessons. When the children were little, I could just say, “no.” Nobody knows what that word means any more. I know you have already guessed. I vehemently told her, “I will take Princess for two weeks and that is all. No questions asked.”

That was five years ago. How she stole my heart is beyond me. I adore her to the point that my family rolls their eyes at me when I have to take Princess to all the family parties because I don’t want to leave her alone. The same daughter who left Princess on my door step said, “Mother, she is a dog. Dogs stay home all the time.”

I did not take Princess to doggy school, as one is supposed to do to teach them manners. Not only do they need sitters and hotels, but they also need manners! We lived on a farm and the dogs obviously didn’t have manners. They stayed outside in the doghouse with an old quilt, and sometimes got a heating pad in the winter. As you know, it gets worse.

All the dogs have to be “house broken,” which also requires some time and skill to teach them to potty only outside or on a pad. Princess not only didn’t have school, but has never gone to a hotel, and is still making puddles on my carpets, if not worse. Her serious potty mistakes are “not her fault.” As I said, I am a busy professional woman and leave for work. My last condominium had a dog door which was great but anyone who has dogs can sympathize with me. When you are gone for hours on end, un-schooled dogs still potty or poop on the carpets. Princess hates the snow and refused to go outside in the wind and snow, so after all this time, I am still purchasing all kinds of carpet-spotters. None of them work and if there is one that does, I hope you’ll give me the name of it, as I am giving you my blog.
Little dogs are barkers, of course unless they have been to school. My neighbors liked me just fine but kindly told me that Princess barks all the time. The solution was getting new neighbors. I sold my condo and found a gated community that “allowed dogs.” Five years ago dogs were not a household necessity. I constantly see” big dogs and little dogs,” as the children’s book says. (If you haven’t read that book, get it for your grandchildren.)

I decided to purchase something else. However, the buyers of my condo wanted me to replace the carpets! If I had wanted new carpet I would have bought new carpet and enjoyed them. That was the selling issue—no new carpets or no the buyers wouldn’t purchase, and the price was great. I couldn’t believe all the spots everywhere when I moved out. I was so mad at Princess. She was responsible for my having to replace the carpets. This wasn’t going to happen in my other house.

I think the point is well made by now. Five years ago I did a favor for my daughter and now I love that silly dog. She has her own blanket and sleeps on the bed. Every other house has a dog too. They all tell me “that their dog doesn’t potty on the carpets.” I actually Googled “dog stains,” and found an unlimited number of entries and what to do about those spots that are now on the carpets of my new house. Fortunately, I now have the perfect solution.

You can Google: Steams My Team. Princess is now 50 years old I’ve been told and is rapidly catching up with to me, but she still potties on my carpets! You may go to the article on my blogspot on, “Dogs Are a Household Necessity.

For more information on cleaning with steam, purchasing a steam cleaner, or having a FREE cleaning demonstration in your home, call Michelle at 801-979-6707.
I have many years of experience with a cleaning business, but once I became acquainted with the Sargent Steam cleaner, I decided not only to use the machines in my cleaning business, but also to become an independent business owner. Steams My Team is listed on Angie’s List!