December 10, 2010

White Dog looked at me as if I had lost my mind. "Really? Really?" her eyes asked, " you are excited and happy because Puff is trying, pathetically I might add, to counter surf? What happened to party manners?"

I laughed in delight and cuddled White Dog in one arm as I gently stroke/pushed SAWD off the cart where she was determinedly trying to reach the bag of duck jerky. Puff let me touch her but stared pointedly at the bag. (She is already learning "The Look" from WD or maybe all girls from Kansas are born with it).

It has long been a lunch tradition that as I enjoy my sandwich or soup, that White Dog and The Other White Dog sit to join me and have two, exactly two, pieces of jerky. Nuka did not take long to catch on to the tradition (although we are still working on the sitting part) but today was Puff's first experience. Guess what...SAWD liked jerky...more than that she loved it and wanted more. And she would not take "No" for an answer.

So our little timid shy sick girl decided to take matters into her own paws by helping herself. Puff is our littlest White Dog and when she stood at the edge of the cart could barely see over the top. But she saw the bag and streeeettttccchhhed to knock the bag down...unsuccessfully. She did push a few odds and ends and the dog brush to the floor but so focused was she that even its clatter did not send her skittering off.

I tried to explain to White Dog that party manners are still very important but Puff's brave attempt signalled something far greater...that she is beginning to be comfortable enough to take risks and show her true curious determined self. And THAT is is how being bad can be good.

"Humans," White Dog huffed, "are so contradictory sometimes! But I love you momma!"