April 1, 2011

White Dog still sometimes has days when she sort of misses being an only child. She feels crowded and a bit overwhelmed and retreats into herself. Today was one of those days when every time she asked for attention someone else came up for pet, too...when the half treat she left in her bowl was gobbled up by one of the others...when everything she did TOWD or AWD or SAWD was there to copy or horn in on. WD hid on the bed (where no one else dares go) and on the arm of my chair.

One of the pleasant surprises of Steve's new academic position is that he gets home at 4pm on Fridays. Today was a beautiful 80 degree sky blue afternoon when he walked in and asked The White Dog Army to join him for a ride and walk in the Park. It was a break in the routine that all needed. When we go, the others are leashed, WD gets to run off-leash as long as she stays with the group. Today she relished the privilege that no one else shared and ran circles around the trio and Steve as they meandered through the lush green grass.

After, we dropped the tired pups at home with promises of a dinner surprise and went with Michael for Middle Eastern delights. We brought back chicken shwarma and rice for the White Dogs to share. As Steve prepared bowls and got Quinn, Nuka and Puff started on dinner, I took White Dog aside and opened a special bag that I had brought home just for her. It was my lamb shank (the new owners of the little college area place we frequent had just added it to their dinner menu, how could I resist).

Lamb shanks are White Dog's most favorite food in the world and she quickly took it and jumped onto the bed (Steve anticipated that and had placed on old tablecloth over the blankets) to savor her special treat without sharing. I want to think that the bonus made her feel less wistful about the old days when it was just the three of us...but I DO understand that it can sometimes seem VERY crowded in our house. Truly, neither she nor I would change a thing but at times we wonder how it got to be so different from the original plan.