A Muddy Labrador

Wouldn’t you say that bathing an 80-pound Labrador is an appropriate way to assimilate back into family life? Did I mention there are two other dogs, a guinea pig, and a hamster living under this same roof?

Willow all cleaned up

I'm positive that living with my sister and her twin daughters will never be boring.

My cross-country move to my sister’s home ended this past Saturday when I arrived here in Maine. My friend Paige labeled our driving trip “two girls and a truck.” Thankfully, it was an uneventful drive with no mishaps. However, I would learn in no time flat that life in this house is full of, uh-hem, adventurous mishaps.

On Sunday, we unloaded the truck, and then for the next couple days, Paige and I went sightseeing. She flew back to her hometown yesterday.

Today is officially my first full day of trying to find a sense of normalcy here in Mount Vernon. Willow, the Labrador, decided to show me her own definition of normal. As I sorted through moving boxes in the storage shed, she found a doggie caper nearby.

After an hour of lifting those heavy boxes, the last thing I wanted to encounter was a brown-eyed canine covered in brown muck. But that’s our Willow, always finding an adventure somewhere. A muddy puddle is the ultimate adventure… at least from a dog’s point of view.

Yep, living here in this Mount Vernon home will never be boring.

The Waddler and The Warrior

The waddler and the warrior—doesn’t that sound like the title of a movie or novel?

In reality those are the words I use to describe my sister's dogs.

Shiloh, the waddler, is an overweight Shih Tzu enjoying her golden years. The warrior, Buddy, is a one-and-half-year-old male whose black-button nose and chocolaty-brown eyes make my insides go mushy. I originally labeled him a prancer because he’s a lively pup that dances in circles when excited. However, I changed my mind about that description after witnessing his protective nature toward the female.

Only a pint-size specimen of a dog, Buddy would protect his elderly sidekick at any cost. Of this I am sure. His chivalry rivals any human warrior’s. I’ve seen him race to the edge of the property, warding off an unseen foe with his yapping. Satisfied that he has held the predator at bay, he struts back with a puffed-out chest to his companion to make sure she’s okay.

Shiloh probably thinks, “There’s no one out there, you dimwit,” but keeps her opinion to herself.

A rare glimpse of Shiloh's evil eye. She guards her "human" food from Buddy.

And although she’s not part of his canine lineage, she tolerates his rambunctiousness as only a mother could. Their unconditional love and loyalty are displayed to their humans as well. My heart is secure in knowing that my sister and young nieces have a watchdog with the attitude of a Doberman. I like to think his gallantry is a plumb line to measure bravery when facing my own fears.

However, I’ll forgo the strutting and leave that to Buddy.