Lady M’s dogs

Since I joined Lady M and her family, I have had to familiarize myself with many perplexing things. For example, I have had to learn how to use this computer, and let me assure you that learning how to manage this machine has been a terrible ordeal.

One of the things that I had to get accustomed to very quickly was the presence of dogs. I have never shared my life with dogs, and Lady M has three of them.  I must confess that I was dismayed when I first saw them. They are noisy and enthusiastic. They shed fur everywhere and leave strange looking toys in the middle of the floor. They also leave unpleasant surprises on the lawn.

However, over time, I have found myself developing an interest in them. This interest was reluctant at first, but now I cannot deny that the dogs’ ways and antics engage me.

What surprises me about these three animals is that they are very different. I always thought that a dog was just a dog, but it would appear that each dog has a distinct personality. I now find it very interesting to observe and study Lady M’s pets

It is amusing that in size, Lady M’s dogs are small, medium, and large. It is rather comical to see them together. The littlest one, Pippin, Lady M: Named after the hobbit Peregrine Took who appears in the Lord of the Rings seems to be under the delusion that he is very large and fierce. Lady M told me that “most small dogs suffer from this misconception.” I shall investigate further to find out if this is true. He is white, and his fur coat is rather sparse, which makes him look a little moth-eaten. He barks at everything and nothing. One thing that I find endearing about him is that he adores Lady M. He follows her around from room to room, and when she goes out, he sits in the window and waits for her. The little fellow loves to nestle against you when you are sitting down, and gives you a very put out look when you get up to do something. The look seems to say, “And where, pray, do you think you are going?”

The middle dog is called Reeka, and she looks decidedly odd. Lady M says that she is half beagle and half spaniel. Reeka’s ears and face are certainly spaniel-like, but her short legs and tail seem to belong to her beagle parent. Her voice also belongs to her beagle side, because the poor creature can only howl. She howls when she is happy, when she is excited, and when she wants to make her presence known. Often she howls with so much enthusiasm that her front legs come off the ground. She is the clown in the family. She is also the fool. Reeka is singularly lacking when it  comes to intelligence. Still, she is affectionate, and it is humorous to see how she wags her tail all the time. How can one not grow fond of an animal who is always so cheerful?

The big dog is Pinot, and even I have to admit that he is a very handsome fellow with his shiny black fur and his brilliant white bib. He also can smile. I would not have believed that such a thing is possible, but now I have to admit that dogs can indeed smile. Or, at least some of them can. Pinot grins, and his grins are infectious. When I am feeling morose, he comes up to me, sits, and then looks at me with a worried expression in his eyes. He is concerned for me. It is surprising how charming this is. Often I cannot suppress a smile, which of course makes him smile. His tail thumps, he grins, and his eyes sparkle. I cannot help feeling grateful that he is here. Indeed, I cannot help being glad that they are all here. Each, in his or her own way, adds something to my life.

Though I would not have chosen to end up here, I realize that there are things in this place that I appreciate and value. I never imagined that three dogs could make an unfortunate situation somewhat less miserable.