As winter settled in, the pups grew…and grew….and grew! If it wasn’t for the patience of my sweet Farmer, I wouldn’t have been able to handle them. It got to the point where he was the one that took them out for their daily business.

Oh! Believe me, I tried to let them run. Thinking that they would train easily, as did Polli (Apollo) was a huge mistake on my part.

Let me describe Polli. Almost 10 years old. Spends most of his day in the following manner:

*In the truck with dad

*On dad’s lap in his chair

*At dad’s feet

*Begs to dad at the table

*Sleeps next to dad on the floor, atop his special pillow.

When dad goes across the road to feed, using his bobcat, Polli sits at the end of the drive and waits for him. Somewhere, unbeknownst to us, structure was imbibed into his psyche.

Life brings along Petie and Sadie:

• They are babies.
• They are littermates and play/wrestle constantly. Yes, Petie has been neutered.
• When bored they tear into things in the house, when confined for too long.
• I’ve had a few holes in the wall etc.

IT WAS TIME FOR STRUCTURE…..and I was the one to make sure that it was done. I convinced my man that they needed a confined area to be free and run off their energy.

By the end of Feb,. I’d reached my limit of insanity! I found Chip Golden ,owner of PETSTOP in Upper Arlington. He came to the rescue.

Chip is one of the kindest, professionals that I’ve ever known. He not only installed the Invisible Fence, but also trained the dogs within a 10day period. I am in Pig Heaven. They now are thoroughly aware of their limitations.

They are also completely potty trained, and spend most of their time outside playing. In fact, they play so hard, that they are exhausted, and too tired to get into trouble within the household.

When I say ,”It’s time to PP outside,” they are immediately out the door and fulfill my instructions…every time!

I guess that’s 37 years as an educator, plus raising 3 sons. Tom and I are both, ”Get the job done,” kind of people. I’m the parent- they are the kids. I set the limitations. They have no choice but to fulfill what the structure dictates.

As a K Teacher for 30 years, I often had parents say to me, “How come my child will do it for you, and not for me?” My answer: “I’m the Boss, they have no choice with me. I love them, tell them so every day. The reason they comply is because basically, all children are truly happy within a structure.”

It goes back to a wisdom from Granny and Grandpa Laible: “Let a child run wild, and he’ll turn into an animal. Give them both structure and limitations, and you are then in charge of the entire pack.”

Try implementing structure and limitations to fix your problems. Place God before it, and it will all come to pass.

May God fill you with Love, and the guidance to parent your children…..not be their best friend.

Love,

Granny