Last June we agreed to take Lola as our pet. She was two years old and she came with a wardrobe for all seasons what could possibly be bad about that? My husband was not thrilled but I think because we are still in the newlywed stage of our marriage he let me have my way after only ten minutes of begging.

During the first week of ownership he caught me holding her and whispering what a sweet girl she was and that I just loved her loved her loved her. He was all, you don't even know her?! Incredulous that I could fall in love with something so fast. While holding my little preemie baby close and whispering sweet nothings in her ear I listened to the warnings of not getting too attached, ya da ya da and then he used a big vocabulary word to throw me off, anthropomorphism. Huh? what? Whatever Mr. PhD, I love her.

She needs us, mostly to just stay warm, feed her and dress her. She cuddles and give hugs when you sit down on the couch by putting her head right under your chin and her paws on your shoulders. Who wouldn't love that? She goes to bed on her own. The minute she hears the TV turn off she is booking it to her crate - if only our kids did that.

But she has outlived her welcome. After spending over an hour on my hands and knees Sunday cleaning the game room floor with Clorox and soap I decided no more. We have three doggy doors that she uses every. single. day. and yet she has been using the far corner of the rug as her own personal toilet, unbeknowest to any of us. DONE!

The baby gate is coming down, the kitchen door is going to stay open, I can open the french doors to the living room, our family will be free to roam our own house. Amazing! This little 5 lb 1 oz dog has had us barricaded downstairs in the carpet free zone. She managed to get upstairs a couple of months ago and the first thing she did was pee on the carpet.

We have tried to re-train her to go outside. I have caged her up in a 4x4 area right at the back door with doggy door in her face. We did this for two full weeks and have gone back to this several times when she has been caught. We have given treats when she goes out in the snow and rain. We push her out the opening if we think she hasn't gone in a while. She goes out on her own to bark at our neighbor's dog and to chase our cat. But no more. Her determination has lost her a place in our household.

Poor baby-yea, yea Anthro-shmatho, she is a sweet little girl and I will miss her but I am sure the rescue foundation in our area will find someone perfectly matched for her.

The kids however have already moved on. We told them on Sunday that we were going to have to get rid of her. At first there was shock and then immediately asking for another dog, a real one this time (had TD been coaching them?)

On Monday morning the 4 year old saw Lola and asked his dad "What is she still doing here?" No worries of anthropomorphism there.