The Barking Lot is a regular weekly feature of This Just In…Written by my lovely wife, Jennifer and me.  It opens with the weekend dog walking forecast followed by the main blog from dog lover, Jennifer. Then it’s DOGS IN THE NEWS and our close. Enjoy!

THE WEEKEND DOG-WALKING FORECAST: We grade the weather outlook for taking your pet outdoors.

TODAY:  Mostly sunny.  A high of 77. “A”

SUNDAY:  A chance of showers early in the day. Very humid. Some sunshine later in the day. A high of 78.  “B”

Now, here’s my lovely wife, Jennifer with this week’s main blog.

Well, here we are.  For all intents and purposes, Summer 2018 is over.  Technically, we still have until September 23rd to start thinking pumpkin flavors, stadium blankets, and Halloween costumes.  But by now your kids may have already completed one to two weeks of instruction.  You’ve gone from the lazy days of summer to the full swing of a structured routine with bed times, after-school schedules and realizing just how precious the weekends are.  You’re wondering two things:  1. How did you survive three months of “Mom, she’s looking at me funny,” “I’m BORED” and “What’s for lunch?” for over 80 days? And 2. How are you ever going to get your kids to get their homework done PLUS have time for practices, lessons, and other extracurriculars?

Have you considered how the changing summer-into-fall routine affects not only your kids & spouse, but your DOG as well?  If you have a new schedule to adjust to, don’t forget your pup will be affected with the rest of the family.  Roscoe can’t complain about having to get up early, and won’t grumble about picking out an outfit for picture day.  But he sure will notice when your kids aren’t around 24/7 for extra walks, belly rubs, and treats.

“Oh, he’ll be fine,” you’ve assured everyone, mostly yourself.  Until you came home from that first day of school & soccer practice only to find your fave flats chewed beyond recognition, or a very uncharacteristic pile of ickiness by the back door.  Wanna rethink that opinion?

Eventually everything will return to normal.  You’ll get into a pattern that will make you wonder why everyone was so stressed out at the beginning of September.  By Christmas you’ll be on complete autopilot, and even catch a break for about a week.  In the meantime, please understand that the stress you feel packing lunches, finding permission slips, and making sure gym clothes aren’t forgotten isn’t the only thing that can interfere with family peace.

It’s not too late to follow the advice I linked to in order for your family to get through the next couple 10 days or so. With a bit of extra patience for ALL the family members, you’ll be doggone ready to tackle anything! Good luck to everyone this fall!
—-Jennifer Fischer

Thanks Jennifer!

Time now for DOGS IN THE NEWS, canines that made headlines the past week.

Woman sentenced in Lambeau Field dog death.

Vets fear anti-vax pet owners are putting their animals’ health at risk.

Why euthanasia rates at animal shelters have plummeted.

Meet Andy the dachshund and see how he walked again thanks to 3D printing.

A rodent-like pest destroying the Louisiana coast finds new enemy in dog treat business.

Powerful Women Told Me Getting a Dog Is the Key to Success. They Were Right.

American dog owners checking their dogs into luxury ‘canine capsule hotels’ while shopping and drinking.

DOG-loving couples must bone up on what to do if they want their pooches to have a lead role at their weddings.

After Porcupine is Rejected By His Mother, Wiener Dog Steps in to Be His Best Friend.

Dog shows off swimming skills despite physical deformities.

Does your dog need a trainer?

THAT’S IT FOR DOGS IN THE NEWS.

HERE’S OUR DOG PHOTO(s) OF THE WEEK.

A small dog jumps off his surfboard while competing at the 14th annual Helen Woodward Animal Center “Surf-A-Thon” where more than 70 dogs competed in five different weight classes for “Top Surf Dog 2019” in Del Mar, California, U.S., September 8, 2019. Photos: REUTERS/Mike Blake

We close as we always do with our closing video.

That’s it for this week. Thanks for stopping by.

We’d really appreciate it if you forward this on to other dog lovers you know. Let them have some fun!

See ya, BARK, next Saturday!