(Wo)Man's Best Friend.....

Sometimes (wo)man's best friend can also be your worst enemy. Like when she pulls wadded up tissues out of the trash and leaves them all over the floor. Or when she takes a mouth full of food and drops it in the middle of the playroom floor, right in the path of baby. Or when she insists on going out side in the middle of the night only to come back in without doing anything. Or when she takes off out the door when you are heading out, only to have you bring her with you. And when you get to the park and try to take a walk, she lays down at the farthest area away from your starting point and refuses to move. At all. And weights 80+ pounds. And did I mention you also had a wagon with two toddlers with you. And a pre-schooler on a bike? That type of worst enemy.

Well my best friend has had her string of bad moments lately. She has repeatedly soiled the floors. Been caught trying to steal food from the kids (granted they've been hand feeding her for the past 4 1/2 years). Been sneaking out of the house when the door is open.

She is a strange friend too. She's 5 1/2 years old and for some reason, still has not made the connection that she can do her duty at the same time. Nope, every morning it's go out. Do #1. Come back in. Close the door. Let me sit down. Walk back to the door to go out, doing a little dance. Goes out and does #2. Comes back in with the "look what I did, isn't it great" expression on her face. 5 1/2 years. We try and try to get her to do it all in on sweep.

And rain, forget it. She hates her paws getting wet. She refuses to go out when it rains. She'll either hold it a full day or have to be dragged out. And then you need to stand there in the rain, waiting for her to finish. Same for when the lawn gets to high. You need to force her to go. But she loves the snow. She can't get enough of it!

And what' the deal with this? If hubby is on the computer RIGHT next to the door, she'll come find me, who is usually dealing with a child, to let her out. Same thing if I am on the computer, she'll go find hubby. Why not ask who is next to the door.

And if the door is wide open and the gate on the deck open too. What does she do? Walks through the house to find the person farthest away or otherwise occupied to let her out.

But with all her faults she truly is a families best friend. She will stand watch over the children. She never barks, not even when someone new comes to the door. On occasion she'll bark, and we know that means something is bothering her. These occasions are when the raccoons are climbing onto the roof to invade the solar system again, there's a drunk meandering down the street or another animal in the yard. Once in a blue moon when a fire truck or police car goes by. That's it. She has never ever tried to nip or bite anyone. And most importantly, I can trust her with the kids. The girls will climb on her, try to sit on her, pull her fur, stick their hands in her gums and ears, poke her eyes and pull her tail. And she just sits there. Friends cannot believe how calm she is with the kids. And they've learned to be nice to her as well. The only abuse she suffers now is the sitting on and occasional tail surfing (which I think she enjoys). Who else with eat every crumb that falls to the floor saving the need to whip out the vacuum cleaner? Who will be there to keep you feet warm on those cold winter days?

(Wo)man's best friend. Irritating to live with, but can't live without.