Building Foundations

The Four-Pack sleep each night in the crate condo. Four crates are stacked, due to lack of space, in a former laundry closet. George’s crate sits on top of Molly’s and Charlie has a great view above Chase. The Englishman spoils them by fluffing their blankets in the dryer shortly before bedtime so each dog has a warm bed. He decided that the dogs needed better mattresses for their beds and began a search on Craigslist. In the little town of Bethlehem, Georgia his search was fulfilled with the exchange of fifty dollars for one queen-sized 3-inch thick memory foam mattress topper. As our GPS led us through windy country roads, we discussed whether or not to reveal the true purpose of this mattress topper with the seller.

I was reminded of a garage sale with my mother in South Carolina a few years ago where a woman was offering hundreds of plush toy rabbits for sale in a dollar bin. She clearly loved collecting all things bunny. Her husband had forced her to relinquish her “wascally wabbit” habit and she was seeking good homes for her treasures. I stepped very hard on my mother’s foot before she could disclose that I was on a quest for dog-appropriate toys. Chase treasured those rabbits dearly, for at least thirty minutes, while he engaged in manic de-stuffing activity.

The Englishman decided, if asked, that we would say the used mattress topper was for the English Boy’s college apartment and not for the Canine Condo Complex. Once the transaction was completed, we headed home to cut apart the memory foam. The Englishman carefully traced each crate bottom onto the memory foam with a red marker and cut along the lines. He custom-fit the foam to the crate and placed the faux-fleece bed on top. Then we put the dogs to bed for the true test. Four noses probed and sniffed the new smells below their paws. Four tails wagged as four bodies performed the required number of turns before settling down for the night.

The next morning, I let the dogs out of the crates and the true proof of whether the memory foam had made a difference was hard to deny. Instead of moving slowly and stretching each leg, the four-pack bounded out of the crates and raced through the house with energy and excitement not typical for 6:30 AM. Molly even returned to her crate after breakfast instead of her preferred cushion in the living room. Although the dogs have only had new foundations for a few days, they seem to be content with their “upcycled” and improved beds. Of course, I have been proven wrong in my theories of canine comfort many times in the past with the dogs falling fast asleep in the most unlikely places. Sometimes it would be nice if dogs could talk.

Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility. – Saint Augustine