Monday, Mar. 20, 2006 - 6:44 a.m.

My Life with Pip

Sometimes I get the feeling my dog is the Peregrine Took of this family.  She often acts without regard to the consequences of her actions, usually has nothing but the best intentions at heart, and of course is insanely curious, to the detriment of all.  Most of her Hobbit-like behavior is of course where the baby is concerned.  Take yesterday for instance.  The poor kid was having a great day, until he felt the need to start running toward me and tripped and fell flat on his face splitting his bottom lip.  And he did a doozie on it too.  Lots of blood.  LOTS of screaming and crying.  I finally got him cleaned up, and sitting with me on the sofa while he sucked on an ice cube to east the pain and swelling.  After a few minutes, he actually fell asleep for a nap, and I put him on his blankie on the floor.  He needed the nap because I knew his lip hurt and he needed to sleep it off.  I got up to go do something only to find that the dog had gone over to him and started licking him on the face. Of course she was only trying to help, trying herself to make him feel better.  However, this woke him up, which is much like unleashing a hoard of squealing and screeching orcs upon the quiet harmony of the house.  After 20 or 30 minutes of piercing screaming, and my frazzled nerves, he finally went back to sleep.  Then there are the times when he is asleep and she starts barking her head off, for no reason at something unseen outside, which wakes him up, and like Sauron, his rage is measurable.  I know the pooch means no harm and she only has our best interests at heart, but her actions DO warrant a scolding.  Doesn't mean it does any good, because she will still bark her head off at all foes seen, unseen, real, or imagined.  She will still LEAP full speed out of bed, growling and barking to chase the cats at 3 in the morning therefore waking  ME up. Forget Sauron, I will have dominion over all life in this house!  She of course only thinks that she is protecting us from the evil putrid stench that ends up in the litter box, aka:   her Tootsie Roll buffet.  Sigh.  I've said it before and I will say it again, I love my dog.