It has been a week now, since we let Rocky sleep in our room at night and all was well until this morning. Actually, I don’t think what happened had anything to do with the sleeping arrangements but was instead, a result of a change in routine. Even on the weekends and even when Peter has been sick, Peter is the first one up and the one to give Rocky his breakfast and let him out. Earlier on in our relationship (the one with Rocky, not with Peter), I thought it was better to make Rocky go for a pee first thing and then give him breakfast. But Peter discovered that Rocky wouldn’t go out unless you pushed him out the door, so he gave him breakfast and then let him out.

This morning, I got up first and after I’d had my shower and dressed, I went downstairs with Rocky. I gave him his breakfast first because I knew that was his routine with Peter. When he was finished, I was in the kitchen and I heard him trotting up the hall so I turned to say to him, “okay, let’s go out now!” He stopped on the edge of the carpet in the dining room, bent his back legs a little and started peeing on the carpet! I squawked really loudly and jumped at him and yelled “NO!”. He stopped peeing and ran up the stairs where he cowered on the landing. I went up to him and he flopped on his side to show his belly in remorse. He knew he had done wrong but he still did it. I put his collar on and asked him to go outside. He went, I didn’t have to drag him, and then he peed and pooped like he normally does. When he came back in, I had cleaned up the pee and sprayed OdorGon on the spot but we all knew something had gone wrong this morning.