My nerves were wracked. My landlord would be taking prospective renters through our apartment (we’re moving downstairs), and I wouldn’t be there.

But Denali would be. All alone in the apartment.

“There’s a KONG filled with peanut butter on the kitchen counter to give him when you come,” I told her. I hoped that he would be more interested in the peanut butter than the visitors.

“Oh, and one more thing. You might notice a mop propped in the bedroom door frame. I know it’s unsightly but Denali knows how to open the door.”

Yes, Denali can open doors. And it’s not because he rams into it with enough force to push it open. Denali jumps up, uses his left paw to turn the knob and his nose to push it open. Seriously. Seriously!

I wouldn’t believe it myself if I hadn’t caught Denali in the act ... more than once. He barely waits for us to leave before gaining entrance to the bedroom and launching himself onto the bed. I laughed it off at first ... until he chewed a hole in the duvet and I found feathers up his nose.

Now, we block off the door/door knob with a mop ... or storage containers ... or whatever is convenient that day. No matter how unsightly.