Tent Be Gone!

Back when Michael built the dog pen, he put up an awning for shade purposes.  Little do a lot of folks realize, dogs can get sunburned just like humans.  They love to snooze in the warm sunshine but when the summer days get too hot, this can present a problem.  Therefore it is necessary to provide shaded areas when they are outside. Although the yard has plenty of trees, the pen, itself, was built in a wide open area..no trees equals no shade.  The awning was a simple canvas fitted with grommets and stretched across the entire back portion of the pen.  Ms. Ezzy loved her little shaded area and would dig a deep hole in the cool dirt so she would also be out of the flies!  Smart dog!  Then came along Sunny..the not so smart dog!  I am just teasing there..Sunny is as smart as any other dog.  She is just a pup and fully acts as such!

Ripping up what was once their shade tent!

Last week while in the pen, Sunny caught hold of the canvas and ripped a large tear in it.  The shade tent was demolished! With good intentions of mending it, I flipped the torn canvas up over the top pole...and promptly forgot about it.  With all of the wind and rain that has pelted the Bayou in the past week, the canvas tent flapped around enough that there was no hope of repairing it. This morning, Sunny was on the prowl!  She was hunting for a new toy to shred!  This puppy has riddled just about every toy she has ever had.  Nothing is safe!  As she wandered around the rose garden in search of something else to demolish, I spied the old canvas.  Hmmm...although it will probably just teach her to tear any future tents, I brought it in for her to wrestle!  She loved it!  Ms. Ez got in on the action and a full-fledged tug-o-war was soon in the works!  They pulled each other around the grassy area until both were exhausted!  Both dogs flopped down for a five minute break and then were back at it!  The poor canvas was never going to be the same!  I could hear the fabric shredding with each shake of their heads!  My goodness!  Why did I not think of this before?  This actually kept them both occupied for hours!  Not once, did Sunny try to escape the confines of the rose garden!  Not once, did tempers flare causing a spat between the dogs!  Not once, did I hear the shrill, siren-like whine of Sunny being bored!  This old tarp was the perfect toy!

I do believe the canvas is losing the game of tug-o-war!

Finally, the dogs both tired. The canvas tarp had won the battle but I am quite sure that the war will commence at first light in the morning!  To be honest, I do not think the tarp has a chance!  The two dogs will not quit until there is nothing left but a few strings..and then Sunny will try her best to eat those!