Our house is a festival of rugs
Over time, we ripped up the beige wall-to-wall carpeting, refinished the floors, and put down area rugs.
And then Boscoe got old. Now our house is a festival of rugs--cheap, mis-matched, most with rubberized non-skid backs, like glorified bathmats.
So now our house looks like this: (top photo) Our normal winter rug. (We swap it out for a lighter one in the summer.) (Note comfy dog bed by the fireplace, which we seldom use now because the sound of the fire snapping freaks out elderly dog.) (Note, also, throw pillows surrounding the bed, to keep him from sliding off the edges.)
Our normal hallway rug. (Note dogfood stand on the radiator shelf. That's for Elderly Dog, so he can eat without falling over.)
The kitchen floor is now concealed in cheap rugs from Marshalls and HomeGoods. (Note corner of fleece dogbed under table. That's for Younger Dog, so he has a place to go and mope.)
The hallway between the kitchen and the front hall now has its own non-skid runner. (Note smallish rug to the right--that one is moved between that spot (between the hall and the living room) and another spot (between the hall and the front porch).
Ugly ancient purple and green basement rug has been hauled upstairs, washed, and is now in the dining room, as a non-skid spot between living room and kitchen. (Note comfy fleece dog pad the background. For either dog and in constant use whenever I am sitting at the computer at the dining room table.)
The front porch now has no fewer than three rugs. A welcome mat for humans (also used by dogs), a little mat by the water dish, to keep Elderly Dog from slipping when he drinks, and a third rug over by the -- what's that? Another dog bed?
Our lovely hardwood floors are pretty much completely concealed these days, but at least Boscoe has to really work at it if he wants to fall over.
25 comments:
It is so kind that you take such wonderful care of your dogs. May we all get that much kindness when we have trouble standing up.
The things we do for our beloved pets! :)
its amazing what you are doing for the loved dogs, i can understand that having 2 dogs with some medical problems too.
I think your rugs make it look really cozy, wood floors are gorgeous, but rugs make it home.
Rugs, rugs - it's a theme at our house too, but for different reasons. Rory has decided that he likes the taste of the fringe on the beautiful pale green rug that came home with us from Belgium. One side is now completely fringe-less and I am not very happy!
We love all the rugs, it adds character plus lots of napping places
Benny & Lily
It is nice to see that we are not the ONLY big time dog lovers in Minnesota. We have FIVE dogs :)
This reminded me of what happened when I decided to rip out the 1970s textured carpet in my house. Raven was used to running headlong through the house from the front door to the back, then zooming out the doggy door. That is until one day I left her to play with the neighbor's dog while I pulled up the carpets.
When she came home, I opened the front door and she froze as soon as her paws hit the hardwood floor. It was as if she found herself standing at the edge of a slippery abyss. I had to create a pathway of rugs in the short term until she got used to the feel underneath her feet. And she was still pretty young then! (just had lots of phobias...)
Boscoe and Riley are two lucky dogs!
Love the festival of rugs!
My house is the exact same! I have 3 dogs plus a constant foster. They all run a muck and slip on the wood. Rugs are their life savers:)
In the people world it is just the reverse, we pick up all the scatter rugs so the elderly don't trip in their walkers. It is lovely that Boscoe has a colorful path:)
Our lovely wide-plank pine floors are also covered with rugs, for dog-related reasons. But it our case it's to hide the hideous scratches that our dogs put there as they launch themselves towards the front door, or the back door, or the door to the garage.
Some people have matching rugs. I don't know any of those people. Everybody I know has dogs and mismatched rugs and pretty baskets full of stuffed animals with their innards gaping. And a set of bowls up on the powder room vanity so the cat can eat in peace.
Well I'm just laughing. What's that song--the things we do for love?
I misread your title to read: "Our House is a Festival of Drugs" and while sitting gobsmacked for a minute, I then perused your blog for hints of legal or illegal, canine or human.
Phew.
Rugs.
Boy we do go to any length, don't we. I remember training one of my old and feebles (blind and deaf too) to jump into my arms from the back deck so she could pee on the grass. The trust she exhibited can still move me to tears.
XO
WWW
I wish you would come and look after me. At 71 I'm becoming aware that I need to be cautious when using the stairs in case I fall! When did that happen?! Age crept up on me.
Beautiful, scratch-free, uncovered wood floors are for those unlucky people who don't have dogs in their lives. I loved this post - our house looked exactly like that in Jessie's old age, every spare rug or bath mat was put into service - and the reader's comments too. Great! :)
Love the rugs! Glad to see you have great humans!!!
Your newest followers,
Miley and Maggie
Ours is a very 'ruggy' home too. I hate fitted carpets. We have dog beds, extra soft rugs for our elderly dog and pillows all over too.
I don't think you can have enough rugs when winter rolls around. I live in snowy Colorado in a tiled home, so rugs are a must! I love the collection you have, it makes everything look so cozy! Thanks for the great blog! I featured you in my favorites today, you can check it out at http://adorablechi.blogspot.com/2011/11/top-5-doggie-bloggers.html
I love that your dogs are so well cared for and those gorgeous floors are still under your rugs, so they're been looked after too.
Catching up on your blog...it tugs at my heart to read of Boscoe's struggles and am glad to hear he appears to be rallying again. :)
Hi there, I wandered in from . . . oh heck, where was I? hmm, must have been ElizabethM.
We had floors like yours - rugs everywhere to protect a Very Elderly Hairy Person* from slipping as he became increasingly arthritic. Some nice ones but mostly cheap things picked up here and there.
Our darling boy is gone now, and so are the rugs. I miss them both dreadfully.
I have loved reading all the comments your friends have left - glad there are so many houses still full of rugs.
* dogs are persons, just four-legged ones!
Once when dog enters into our house then i guess its no more.... Its one of our family member ! correct me if am wrong
Hahaha. Yeah, I love how your pets mean so much to you. Lovely.
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