Rain, Rain go Away!

[Janie]

Okay, I am fed up with rain and mud. It has just gotten to be more then I can do to keep them clean every time they come in from the mud for days at a time (not only them but the house too). I had my husband build me a mud room and I love it. We turned half our garage into a play/mud room filled with toys and bones. He even ran a duct out there from our aircondioner/heat to keep them comfortable. When it is raining they can go in and out as they please to do their stuff . We take turns going out to play and pet them.They love playing out there and having free reign as in the house they have to act like indoor dogs and be calm and after days of having to stay inside they got depressed and bored. They have beds to lay on and as I said toys to play with and bones to chew on, and each other. When the rain stops we bathe dogs, wash everything that needs washing,clean the walls and floor one time not many. Then they come back in the house till it rains again or if we leave they will have a play room now not a crate to stay in ( I really fell bad if I have to crate them any length of time). They really are very happy with this arrangement I feel a little bit guilty (I am sure I mind more then they do). Do you think I am being a bad mom? My neighbor told me her kids would love a room like my doodles have (it is a really a great room).

[Sheri & Murphy]

Doodles love the rain and the mud, lets face it they are going to get muddy whether we are prepared or not:o) As doodle luvers we should accommodate their craziness, it's the least we can do for all the joy and laughs they bring to us. We are putting in an outdoor shower house like the one we have at our Cape Hatterast vacation house for the same purpose. It will be great for doodles, dirty gardeners etc......

[Denice Caouette]

Wow...what a great idea! I think you are a fabulous Doodle mommy!!! My Coco and Sabrina would love this arrangement...but here in Las Vegas it NEVER rains!!! So they just have to do with the house!!!

[Janie]

When it is not raining they can come in the house or the mud/play room or outside their choice.....and they do all three.

[Michele Barton]

I think you're being a great mom! What lucky pooches! We turned our laundry/mudroom into our pups' room too. We have their crate, food/water bowls, toys, dog supplies in there, with the doorways gated. There is a row of cabinets and a large sink, so it is really convenient for me. It is not separate from the house, though. This is where we leave them when we have to go out, so they don't need to be cooped up in a crate. They love the tile floor, it is nice and cool. When we're home, they will go in their room on their own to sleep. After we fence in part of our yard (1 acre of 20 acres total), we're going to install a doggie door too so they can come and go as they please. Like you, we are having an awfully wet spring.

[HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08]

Hannah and Honey enjoy playing in their room although I wouldn't call it a mud room, I also have their grooming table and crates in it. It's also their brag room, I hang up their pics and awards they have recieved. They still get to roam the rest of the apartment, but when I'm not home, they are in their crates. They love their crates, and so do I especially with Shreky the Shreeder!

[Janie]

Forgot to mention we have a Booster Bath Tub For Dogs in there and we love it.... much easier on the back then the tub in the house.

[Karen & Lucy]

The arrangement sounds great to me. I have a mud room too, but not just for Lucy. I would like to have a doggy door in it so she can come and go as she pleases too, but DH doesn't want to put one in. It's beyond me why not. Yest. Lucy chased a rabbit until it went into it's hole. She dug and dug, in the rain, until my DH went and got her. You can just imagine what she looked, AND SMELLED, like. I was at work. ERRRRRRRRR, when I got home at 11:30 PM, there she was. Needless to say she had to sleep out in the mud room because I was not bathing her at that time.
Don't feel guilty, I think that is a better arrangement then crating them when you are gone or tieing (?sp) them to a chain and a dog box.

[Linda,Yankee & Finn]

I would love that. I even thought of doing that but DH isn't very handy. We would have to hire someone and I would like to put a doggie bath right out there too. Yankee gets so depressed when it rains for a few days and I am getting him a playmate soon.

You are so lucky. There is nothing wrong with it if they like it and it works. Good doodle Mom!