Rip goes away

The Husband and I have decided that it's best for everyone if Rip goes away for a while.

WHY?

Is it because that nearly every day he steals my makeup brushes from the cupboard and tries to consume them?  

Why are they sending me away?  

I'm such a well-behaved dog!

Is it because no pair of socks in the house is safe from being stolen and carried around?

But mom, you keep working on my dumbbell hold.

I'm just practicing on socks!

Or perhaps one of the other naughty things I've documented on this blog?

Like mutilating a mouse  or  Consuming candles  or  

Destroying many pairs of shoes  or 

Ripping up various paper products  or  Ruining my clothes 

or  Many.  Other.  Things.

Nope.  It's because Rip gets to go do this again:

Rip is going away to be a show dog

I have finally recognized that, with my work travel schedule and family commitments, me taking Rip to dog shows just isn't going to happen any time soon.

So I found a handler who lives nearby and will take Rip with her on the weekends she shows.  This allows Rip to live at home with us the vast majority of the time so I can keep going with his performance training, but still get going in the conformation ring.

This weekend is going to be his first weekend out.

Even though I'm on a work trip, I miss him already.  Who will snuggle with me on the sofa at night?  Who will pester me to play whenever I try to sit down during the day?

The Husband is not-so-secretly looking forward to a (MUCH) calmer house with only 2 dogs - one geriatric, and one a lazy rehab patient.

Hopefully Rip will have fun on his new adventure!