Now that we are recovered from and over the thrill of the Doggie Domain construction earlier this year, I have decided the pups needed a second indulgence. For 15 years, I’ve been entering and leaving my pool via a ladder really intended for a hot tub, which makes the first step a doozie and upper arm strength a must. Until Morrie arrived, I’ve never thought much about what would happen if one of the dogs fell in the pool. Although they all hate the water, probably because it is their super-sized doggy water dish and they even resent me immersing myself in it, I nonetheless have pulled them all into the pool enough times to know that when it is full, they can make it to the side and crawl out. The problem is that sometimes it is half full, because Pasiano empties it half way three mornings a week to allow hot water to flow in from the mineral springs in the afternoon. In this way, the water is always hot and I use the drained water to water the grass and trees.
At any rate, I’ve always been worried about what would happen if Morrie fell in while it was half full and no one was around. Although he’s never fallen in when I’m present, I’ve been told that he did fall in twice while I was at the beach and Pasiano had to jump in to save him. I’ve concocted all sorts of safety measures such as a very long extension ladder placed diagonally from the bottom of the pool to poolside or very large pots submerged upside down in the pool, but these are stopgap measures at best and I keep imagining their being removed when I’m not around.
Even more worried than I am is okcforgottenman who has railed and fumed about this, the result being that Chino and Mateo and another worker arrived today to build steps. Not the makeshift steps that I’d envisioned, but the state-of-the-art, curved tiled steps that will cost about 4 times what I envisioned they would cost but which will be beautiful, functional and durable. And, I get to watch them work again, because like the Doggie Domain, the pool is right in front of the sliding glass doors directly in front of my desk. Someone has actually already asked to be let in on the action, so here are the first few shots of their activities. At one point I could hear both workers talking on their cell phones. One was down in the dry pool laying bricks and the other one was walking up carrying a full two-arms load of bricks with his cellphone pushed up against his ear with his shoulder, talking on it! You can see him in the third-to-the-last photo, stirring concrete and still talking on the phone! Ha. They are good workers, just adept at double-tasking. Click on that second to the last photo to catch him in the act! There are also captions if you click on the first photo and view the gallery.
lifelessons - a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown 
This is going to be fun to watch from here. Thanks for bringing us along.
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So you’l be able to strut yourself down into to pool the next time you are here instead of lowering yourself down.
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You win the Best Dog Mom of the year award. Wow. I’m good to my dogs … but you? Could you adopt me too? Please? Pretty please?
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I already did. You told me once you had dogproofed your whole yard. That’s what I am doing…
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But you’ve made it a luxury doggie resort 🙂 We don’t have a pool. We did have an above-ground pool — the only practical solution given our hardscrabble soil.
FYI — they make doggie life preservers. Morrie is a perfect candidate. Scotties are terrible swimmers, but enjoy being in water. Our first Scottie, Macadog, used to go rowing on the lake in Maine with my first husband. They would share a bottle of wine (Mac was a good drinker and Jeff was even better). After a few belts, Mac would decide he was Mark Spitz and leap overboard, with Jeff right behind him to haul him back into the boat.
Bonnie will wade into water if she can, but I wouldn’t let her into anything over her head. Scotties seem to lack bouyancy. Maybe it’s the long body/short legs thing, but they sink.
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Looks like you will enjoy the new steps.
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Yay! I’ll sleep easier knowing the animals – any animals – will have a path to salvation! (Well, screw any animal that can’t climb a step. I’m not heartless, only half so.)
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So if they break a leg in the fall, they are just plain out of luck!!!
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You live in paradise!
I love that first photo. There”s something Dali-esque about it. I think it’s to do with the guy standing in the pool
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Steps will be lovely for you and the pooches. Just be sure to show the dogs where the steps are. Although I had a dog who was as dumb as a post and never could figure out the whole concept of the steps despite many times of jumping in and then clinging to the side of the pool. If you gt a chance, please post to the Salon tomorrow.
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Every one of the dogs always swims to the exact place where we are putting the steps, even though at the time there were no steps there. It is the place nearest the house. A friend tipped me off that they built steps on the side away from the house and never could train their dogs to go there, so I benefitted from their experience! Thanks for the reminder re/ posting.
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Reblogged this on lifelessons – a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown and commented:
Some would say I was indulging my pets when I built them their own little room onto my house, then steps down into the pool to aid in Morrie’s easy exit when he goes in to retrieve a ball I haven’t thrown for him with sufficient speed, but in truth, I’m indulging myself as it means more space in my part of the house, less worry that Morrie will drown if he falls in the pool when it is half full, and more ease in feeding them since there is a little fridge and pull-out drawers for their dry food so I don’t have to stoop over to scoop. No cruises or diamonds for me. Just give me a new doggie domain and steps in the pool. Indulging us all.
The Ragtag prompt today is indulgence.
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