It’s been a couple of weeks since Lillie went back home, but she made me realize how much I miss having a dog to come home to everyday. They are great company, even better listeners and truth be told, I like dogs more than most people I know.

Furry frog legs
Photo & Caption: Shana Goodin Thompson

A couple of friends stopped by the Friday night Lillie was here and we had a mini girls’ night. We were laughing at the way Lillie sprawled out like a frog getting ready to jump and remembered how their black cocker spaniel, Tubbs would lay in the same position about 25 years ago.

Lillie checking out the backyard
Photo: Shana Goodin Thompson

I promise that Lillie did not have any of the wine Friday night, but the next day she had a little diarrhea when we went on one of our walks. It wasn’t bad and that was the only incident so I was guessing it was the stress of being away from home or maybe the small can of Evanger’s Grain Free Pheasant the night before was a little rich for her. She didn’t act as if she felt bad, she ran after birds and was very chipper, but I did take up her food when we got home and fixed her some rice. She ate the rice and the next day I mixed a little kibble with it and she ate that, too. I should say eventually ate it. Lillie’s eating habits are completely different from the way Dudley ate. He gobbled all his food in about 30 seconds and out of necessity Zoe ate all her food at once, too (though with considerable more decorum than Dudley). Lillie grazes and doesn’t seem to think the food dish is the greatest part of the day.

Lillie thinks about doing a little gardening

Since there were no more runny poo incidents, I began giving Lillie treats again on Sunday. Lillie had brought several different treats with her including Newman’s Own Organics Snack Sticks. It has a nice picture of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward on the front, and a little story on the back. I was leaning against the counter reading the back of the package and Lillie is in front of me huffing and chuffing  and she finally barked at me before I realized I was standing there holding her treats and not offering her one. I gave her a stick, she was happy and I realized how untrained a dog mom I’ve become in the past four months. I leave food on the counter, I leave the front door open, I leave my plate on the table to go answer the phone, so I’m going to need a mini boot camp before another dog comes to live with me. In the meantime, visits from Lillie, Bourbon and Kenzie will let me practice a little between now and then.

“The more I see of the representatives of the people, the more I admire my dogs.”
– Alphonse de Lamartine