...that makes her the
perfect dog for me. Is it her sweetness? Her politeness? Her appearance? It's those things and so much more. She's timid but has a real
joie de vivre. She rarely barks but doesn't hesitate to voice her pleasure when playing with her toys. She walks very daintily but "zooms" with a purpose. She's a bit too big to be a lap dog, but she makes an excellent "spud puppy" (couch potato). She's never pushy or demanding, but I always know what she wants—she's that expressive.
Last month she accompanied us on our interstate vacation. She is the perfect traveling dog. Well, she
travels perfectly, but once we're stopped she does tremble a little. She wears her pretty pink harness with the seat belt running through it. Her traveling water bowl is nearby. She succeeded in ignoring the other dogs at the rest stops, which is preferable to exhibiting her true feeling of displeasure.
I was concerned what her reaction to riding the ferry would be, but she did well! Then there was riding in the golf cart. Well now, she did well with that, too! I sat on the wide back seat with her—my hand firmly grasping her harness. When we hit a rough patch she merely backed in and wedged herself more snugly between me and the back of the seat. I even caught her stretching out to get a better view of the ground as we moved. Yay!
Porch Sittin' on Kelleys Island
We stayed at three different places in the nearly two weeks we were gone and she adapted remarkably well at each place. She kept her eyes on her mama though, and her mama likes that. She offers me so much adoration, joy, and companionship. The least I can do for her is be her human security blanket when needed.
There was one dog at each of the first two places—one young and large, the other small and frail. There were three cats at the last place, one of them taller than Lizzie. She offered them all a wide berth. Smart girl! She had a beautiful yard to play in for several days—lots of lush grass and shade trees. Oh, what fun that was!
Keeping Tabs on Me in Columbus
The weather has cooled off here at home, which means we've resumed our long walks in the morning. There are so many smells worth backtracking and "tag dragging" (big tags, short dog) for. Stopping on the beach to run in the sand and occasionally to get her paws wet or get a quick sip of the river water. Ears alert listening to the wind rushing through the cat tails and marsh grasses. Bright eyes staring off in the distance at a squirrel on a power line or climbing up a tree. Sniffing at a turtle crossing her path. She's a true nature doggy! She's a girly girl who is not afraid of rain or snow or mud. That's my Lizzie.
Today is special day. She receives a great deal of attention from us on a daily basis, but she's getting even more today. All of her toys spread out on the living room floor instead of just a few. More time playing with the toys. A little more time to stop and sniff during our walk. A large organic treat instead of the tiny one. These are the little things that probably matter to Lizzie and make us, her humans, think we're making this day special for her. What does a birthday matter to a dog after all? Yes, it's her birthday. My Lizzie Sweets is seven years old today. I'm a sap. I admit it. I have LOVED all my dogs, and luckily for me, they've loved me back. There is not a day that goes by that I don't feel blessed for having Lizzie in my life. I will never take her for granted. She's perfect for me and I know it!
Happy Birthday, My Darling Girl!
