Jeffie's First Construction Project: Dog Daddy Guest Post

Today we have another guest post by the Dog Daddy. He has a little Jeffie puppy story to tell.  This is part of Jeffie's Birthday Party!

Shortly after moving into our new house ( well, more appropriately, our new construction site), we decided to build a deck on the back of the house. Our house was not finished and we were working on a number of projects: floors, woodwork, fireplaces, and so one. But it was spring and I wanted to be outside. 

Jeffie was a spring puppy and he loved to follow me anywhere I went. I started by digging 20 holes to set the posts in to build the deck on. After laying out the position of the holes, which Jeffie watched with great intent,  began to dig. 

Most of the digging was done with a post hole digger. As soon as I started digging Jeffie was fascinated and wanted to get in on the action. 

As soon as I had a hole started, he had to inspect it. I had to basically use one foot to keep him out of the hole while I took another jab with the digger. Every time I brought up more dirt, Jeffie was thrilled and needed to inspect it also. 

I was digging the holes 2 feet deep. Once I finished digging a hole and moved on to dig another Jeffie was right there to help. Then he would wander away and fall into the hole I just finished. So I had to stop and rescue him as he was too small to climb out on his own. This little dance between me and Jeffie and the holes went on all day.

The next step was to set the posts in concrete. Jeffie had to stay inside so he did not get into the cement. After that Jeffie was with me for the rest of the project and was not so much in the way.

That is, until I started laying the deck boards. That's when he discovered that going under the boards he could escape the sun and the noise. Every time I would take a break I would have to find him and coax him out. This went on until the final step of putting on the surround (so no critters could get under the deck.)  Even as I was ready to put on the final board, I had to wait until I could get him out. 

As the years have gone by Jeffie still loves to go along to help with any project. These days he mostly just sits or lays a few feet away and watches. Sometimes I think he wonders why we don�t do something again as exciting as building a deck.