Poor Sadie. Lonely, intelligent, energetic and sweet dog longing for the opportunity to exercise a natural-born calmness and playfulness.

Peachy on the pickup, even though her people were not home (by advance arrangement).... Her Peke was tied out in the back yard as well, so first I fussed over the Peke with a McDonald's burger redolent in the breeze, and by the time I had collected and loaded Sadie's dogfood she was VERY happy to see me, sit for me, and try very hard to coooperate with being "led" to the car with many, many, MANY patient "sit"s interrupting her explosions. She's been taught to use her pent-up, youthful energy in a knock-down, drag-out tug of war for a run, by a slight and very pregnant owner, so she was very surprised to be held firmly and made to sit every time she went nutso. Loved going for a ride (unlike poor Faulkner), loved snuggling into my hands as I drove, and has been doing well at meeting the household critters one controlled, careful encounter at a time.

Just now she's napping all the excitement off in the dog corner ("Doggie Smell! Doggie Smell!"), having tanked up on a huge amount of water first.... thus the small corner begins her introduction to the Pee Outside Only Policy. (P.O.O.P.)

And for the moment, all dogs are quiet in their respective separate domains. Ruby, bless her, showed Sadie all the ropes. Sadie, bless her, had the brains to respect both Ruby and Faulkner and offered (submissively, yieldingly) to play. Faulkner, bless him, paw-dominated while playing but was satisfied with Sadie's fawning response.

Next trick-- small suppers for the over-excited, and a hockey game for F to have with me all to himself (and for Sadie to overhear from her corner so she can start learning about Hound Hockey).

~Susan