A Tribute to Quirky Dogs Everywhere

Just a little disclaimer to begin with...You know the reasons most people blog: to document what's going on in their lives, or with their kids' growth & development, or maybe to share their intellectually stimulating opinions on the health benefits of using Miracle Whip instead of mayonnaise. I know most people enjoy reading about what's going on in my kids' lives or with Dan's new job or what I'm doing during the day between soap operas & bonbons (not). I know it's highly unlikely, though, that in 7 years I'll look back and think, "Hmmm, I wish I could remember what our dog was like when she was 47 & 1/2 dog-years-old." Don't get me wrong: I love my dog--despite her hair being EVERYWHERE in our house, and despite the fact that I don't know how many dog-years she actually is. But normal people probably don't blog about their dogs much. Occasionally, though, I just don't have anything crazy-exciting to document & I don't care about sharing the moral of a story. I just want to share a laugh with you. And I would have included a picture of Snickers here so I would know what she looked like when she was 47 & 1/2 dog-years-old, but I don't have one on my computer at the moment. I will try to update this soon with a recent picture of her, so you too will be able to remember our precious Snickers-girl when she was 47 & 1/2 dog-years-old.

I was talking on the phone with my mother-in-law recently & she mentions her dog, Sunny, and how Sunny is cowering under the table or wherever because there is a thunderstorm outside. This just makes me laugh. (I'm sorry, Mom & Dad...& Sunny) Dogs can be so quirky sometimes. Sunny has medication to take when there is a storm. I wondered about my own dog, Snickers, and how she does with storms, because she seems to me to be a quirky dog as well, & I would have thought if Sunny was afraid of storms, Snickers would be too. But a month or two ago, Snickers & I were actually outside (finishing up our favorite chore of mowing) when it started thundering, & I noticed no sign of recognition in her cute little puppy dog eyes. She didn't seem the least bit scared.

Now, take her outside when it's raining, then you have a problem. She'll walk into the rain, & walk right back out again. I don't know if it's fear or just strong dislike. But she wants nothing to do with rain on her back. Ah, I'm sensing a connection here (she doesn't like getting bathed either). She doesn't like water! What kind of dog doesn't like water?? Sunny goes canoeing every Saturday! She obviously doesn't have a problem with water! Snickers is so anti-water that one day recently she had to go #2 so bad, but absolutely refused to stay out in the rain long enough to do her doo-ty (get it?) that she ended up going downstairs in the basement . . . twice! No, not twice--two series of #2's, meaning there were about a dozen pieces that yours truly had to clean up. No one else in our family ever has to clean up the dog's messes. Now what is up with that?!

Snickers would probably help me clean up, but for some reason she won't touch the water I'm cleaning with.

But then, just when you think you know everything there is to know about your quirky dog, you wonder...how in the world did Snickers know to go on the nasty cement floor in the basement rather than on the soft, squishy carpet that's everywhere else in the house? Do you think she might be smarter than she's letting on?