Bacon Flavored Kisses

Baby our black lab is a little spoiled around the edges.  She has my husband well trained, however.  You see it was love at first sight for both of them when she came to us. I digress.

Monday my husband had breakfast at the Hogg Wild Cafe.  Monday our high was about 45 degrees and a low of 15, with snow flurries.  He had brought home a slice of bacon but forgot it in the pickup.   When he came home from running some errands that evening he brought it in.

Baby was sitting on top of the crate waiting for him.  She quickly smelled the bacon.  Dan sat down near her and waited for her customary kiss.  Baby was focused on the bacon.  Dan talked with her, explaining she could have her treat as soon as he got his kiss.

She was not listening.  She waited.  Dan cajoled.  Then he turned and laughed as I watched him run the bacon over his lips.  The whole time Baby was watching and waiting.  Dan waited.  Baby waited expectantly for her treat.  Dan waited for his kiss.  They waited.  Finally Dan gave in and gave her the treat, then she gave him a kiss.

She wouldn't settle for bacon flavored kisses, she wanted the real deal.





Update  I just read the poetry post thought I would give it a try.

Baby

Black lab

Spoiled around the edges.  

She has my husband well trained.

It was love at first sight for both of them,

Breakfast at the Hogg Wild Cafe 

Chilled bacon from the pickup

Baby waiting

On top of the crate

Dan waiting for her kiss 

Baby focused on bacon

Dan explained she could have her treat

When he got his kiss

She waited.  

Dan cajoled.  

I watched and waited

As he ran the bacon over his lips  

Baby watched

Dan waited.  

Baby waited for her treat.  

Dan waited for his kiss.  

They waited.  

Dan gave in.

Then she gave him a kiss.

They shared bacon flavored kisses.

Baby and the Calendar

The other day I hung a new calendar in the living room.   It was a Labrador calendar.  I was sorting some boxes when Dan nudged my arm and pointed to Baby and the calendar.

She had put her front feet on the wood chair to get a better look.  Just like a kid she tried to look behind it to find the other dog.  It was so funny to watch.  Of course my regular camera was across the room.  So I took out my cell phone and caught this shot.

The next day Dan saw her jump on the couch to get a different view of the calendar.  I'm going to have my real camera ready when I change the calendar to the new month.

She is such an amazing dog.  We have laughed often at her antics.

I Could Scream

"Baby" just ate my C-Pac mask.  Earlier this morning I heard my shoe drop.  Went to investigate.  Baby had been heading out the door packing it off.  I retrieved the shoe and put its mate up on top of the TV.

Isn't that where everyone stores their shoes?

I went back to working on the computer.  It was quiet in the living room so I went to see what she was into.  She was out in the back yard merrily munching on my C-Pac mask.  The hose was missing the end piece, the rubber piece that fits around the nose had multiple bites out of it.  I was livid both at her and myself.

Since getting Baby and the first time she ate my mask I have put the hose and things out of Baby's reach when I get up.  This morning I forgot.  I woke up coughing, decided to get dressed and forgot to put my mask in a safe place.  I didn't close the bedroom door because my husband was still sleeping. 

She has plenty of her own chew toys, she really doesn't need my things.

Last week Dan went out for a ride on the 4-wheeler.  Pretty soon the phone rang. "Where are your shoes?"

"They were right here."

"Go look outside by the shed, I can see one from the alley."  I did.  Sure enough one of my shoes was in the backyard.  I came back in and looked for its mate.  Went back outside and found it around the side of the house.

The irritating part was Sammi came in and was talking and I wasn't listening. I told Sammi to go play as I was working on the computer.  I can hear you saying, "What is she talking about?"

Well Sammi sometimes tells on Baby.  Yesterday my shoes went walking.  Sammi came in and got my attention. I followed her outside.  There on the outside deck was one of my shoes and the remains of the bathroom garbage.  I picked up the mess and put on my shoes.

Today I didn't listen.  As soon as Baby saw me she knew she was busted.  She tried her cute routine and that just didn't cut it. Today she is in big trouble.  She is currently in the crate until I calm down. 

I guess I should have put the C-PAC mask on the TV instead of the shoes.

March 23 - Baby's First Cap

I came home from school and found Baby munching on her first cap.  I looked at Dan, "Your Cap?"

Sheepishly grinning, "Yah." he said.

It seems he had gone looking for his cap when it was nowhere to be found.  He looked at the puppy and said, "What did you do with it Baby?"

It took about 10 minutes, but Baby brought the cap in from outside and dropped it at Dan's feet.  He told me, "She looked up at me with those big eyes and sweet face.  She was just so tickled!"

She seemed to say, "See Dad, aren't you proud of me! I brought it back to you!  Then she wagged her tail and gave me a doggy grin, as she waited to be praised for her efforts."

I asked Dan "Well what did  you do?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "What could I do?  She looked at me with that sweet face, I couldn't stay mad at her?"

I questioned Dan further, "What's with the cap?"

Dan's eyes twinkled when he retold his conversation: " I told her she could have it. But, it was the only one she could have. No more."

Dan and I talked about the fact that by bringing the hat back to him seemed to suggest she really did understand what he had asked her.  This was the second time she had brought something back that she had taken.

When I watch Baby look sweetly up at my husband's grinning face.  I see her love reflecting back in his eyes.  I think they do understand each other.

March 16 - The Baby

Friday we joined some friends to celebrate Nicole’s birthday. I laughed as people asked Dan, “Did you crate the “Baby”?”

He would answer, “Yes. But I told “the Baby” it was her mother’s idea not mine.”

Saturday I went to an Art & Craft Show with Patty, Lori & Shelly. Some very talented people had their work on display. After browsing the show Lori and I went to have a pop, Dan joined us. I asked Dan if he crated “the baby”.

“No. She said she would be good.”

I had another errand to run before heading home. I called Dan and asked what “the Baby” ate in our absence.

He said, “Nothing. She had some empty bags out of the box from the oxygen place.”

I sighed, “When I left the box wasn’t empty. The new water reservoir and the attachments were in it.”

When I came home I started sweeping up plastic. It turned out to be the remains of a roll of scotch tape that bit the dust. The water reservoir was still intact and I located one of the attachments. Still missing was an attachment, a small funnel, and the cover connecting the attachment to the reservoir. None of the plastic pieces seemed to have come from the attachments. I didn’t think she swallowed them. But I couldn’t find any broken pieces.

Baby was bouncing around no worse for the wear.

I told Dan that he would need to go down Monday and replace the missing pieces.

“Can’t I just drive you there after school?”

“No. You decided not to crate her. So you can go get the replacements.” I told him putting her in the crate is for her own safety. “I know you would feel terrible if she got into something and got hurt.”

Both the puppy and Dan looked suitably chastised.

Later Dan and I were playing cribbage and “Baby” and the other dogs went outside. Pretty soon “Baby” came back with the attachments, cover, and funnel still in their sealed bag. She laid this bag at Dan’s feet. She seemed to be saying, “See I returned them. Now are we out of the dog house?”

Dan reached down, picked up the bag and said, “Oh “Baby” you just got me out of hot water.”

As “Baby” looked up at me she really did seem to understand.