Introducing Casey

Some recent events at the local dog park I visit frequently provoked me to think about dog park etiquette.  Obvious things like: don't wear your fur coat to a muddy dog park (or really any dog park for that matter), if the sign says no kids under the age of six that means no kids under the age of six, and don't bring your freshly groomed white dog to the park.

Telling you all of this, though, is putting the cart before the horse.  Some of my less than a dozen readers are wondering what the heck I am doing at a dog park in the first place.  I am with Casey.  She hired me as her social secretary, personal chef, and belly rubber at the end of November, and I have to say she is one of the best employers I have ever had.

For one thing, she is pretty easy on the eyes.

 

For another, she has awesome ears, and usually sleeps with one straight up in the air.

 

Then again, she sometimes sleeps with both ears down.

 

Could she be any cuter when she sleeps?  I feel like there's a pink neon sign just dangling above her chair reading "CUTENESS ALERT."  If it existed, it would explain why Brian and I can spend the better part of meals with our necks craned uncomfortably watching her sleep.  If you own a dog, you may be wondering how it is we can watch her sleep if we are eating.  Why isn't she at the table begging?  The answer is she doesn't beg because she is the best dog ever.  She has never really begged at the table.  When we eat, she automatically gets on her chair.  When we leave her alone in the house, she doesn't chew up stuff that is not hers.  In fact, we have to officially present her with toys or she'll leave them alone. 

The only thing she does do that she is technically not allowed to do has led to our household version of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.   That chair of hers is the only piece of furniture she is allowed to be on.  When we first brought her home from the shelter, she tried to get on the couch numerous times.  Since we gently removed her every time she got on it, she learned not to do it.  Then, we returned from being away and noticed paw prints on the couch and fur (she sheds like crazy).  The fur was particularly noticeable because it was her light blond on a bright red raspberry colored couch.  There were a number of ways we could have handled her transgression.  However, upon further consideration we decided not to do a darn thing about it.  She is so good about everything else like not going into rooms where she is forbidden (guest room, guest bathroom), not eating the furniture, not going through the garbage, and only jumping up on me (she likes to hug), that if being on the couch makes her feel more secure at home while we are away then so be it.  

Her chair, by the way, belonged to my great-grandmother Bernice.  Casey just loves it.  We repositioned it so she can sit and look out our big south facing window.  She monitors the action on the street, albeit a very quiet street.  In the mornings, she is particularly fascinated by the children who gather at the corner to catch the bus.  

  

And yes, this picture should tell you we left our Christmas tree up well into January.  In our defense, we didn't decorate it until Christmas Eve, and we did take it down before the calendar reached February 1.   

We've been spending many mornings over the past several weeks with her best friend Bella, a mix that people love to speculate has Whippet in her because she's so zippy.  Bella's owner and I coordinate our dog exercise schedules every weekday morning, at the request of the dogs of course.  Bella and Casey just love playing together whether it be chase, wrestle, tug of war, or keep away.

Here they are playing tug of war while another dog referees. 

 

Sometimes, Pike joins in.  He loves Bella and can be seen here giving her a love bite on her butt.    

Sorry Pike, but I do not think the affection is mutual.

As Casey and I go to the dog park quite frequently, we are in the car together often.  Let me just tell you  she is a little human when riding in the car.  Have you seen the movie "Smart People" with Dennis Quaid?  Remember how he would only ride in the backseat of the car behind the driver.  Casey does the EXACT same thing.  I finally brought Brian along one day so he could document it.  Here she is waiting patiently for me to start the car and back out of the garage (and yes, that is mud splattered on the inside of  the car):

Her patience rewarded, we finally cruise down the street headed for her version of nirvana.

 

It's funny because three months ago, she wasn't with us.  She was just another dog at a shelter, and we were just hopeful potential owners.   Now, she so consumes my life that I can't imagine her not in it.  Sometimes, the love I feel for her just hurts because I am so grateful to have such a wonderful, well-mannered dog, and I hope she is with us for a long, long time.