My Journey in Minimalism: Episode 4 (Decluttering Magazines) — Going Digital

Dorothy, my dog, presented me with a challenge. Dorothy was peeing everywhere in the house, sometimes right in front of me. Dorothy would occasionally sneak in elimination in her favorite spot (by the patio door) when the weather was terrible, or she felt like it and thought she could get away with it. However, over the past few months, the problem has gotten steadily worse. A carpet treatment was necessary to address the effects.

I thought the problem might be a retraining issue. I have been working from home for over a year now, which could have upset her regularity. An internet search revealed an IU infection or crystals might be the problem. The general recommended steps were to have your dog checked out by a veterinarian then start retraining. Dorothy went to the vet, and she had both a severe IU infection and stones in her bladder the size of marbles. The vet prescribed an antibiotic for her infection and scheduled Dorothy for surgery next month to treat the stones. But, unfortunately, the vet also discovered a third problem. Dorothy had fleas.

If Dorothy had fleas, this meant my bed had fleas, my couch had fleas, my recliner had fleas. I had fleas. Dorothy received treatment for fleas, as did my bed, my sofa, and my recliner. I washed all bedding. I replaced my comforter. I removed the memory foam pad for my bed. I threw out all my blankets, Dorothy’s blankets, and her dog bed. I also thew out every area rug and accent rug I had.