Interviewed by Her Wryness (again)!

Once again, in the spirit of blogger-to-blogger interviews, Robin Johnson (of Her Wryness blogger fame), has offered to interview moi (our first interview occurred over at my writer's blog). Here's the Lab Tails interview:

Robin (Her Wryness): Joan, it's wonderful to meet with you again and talk about a subject near and dear to your heart, your triple play of Labrador Retrievers.

Tossing aside rules and etiquette for the moment; doesn't your cat, Snickers deserve more print space?

Joan: Poor Snicks. Yes, he does deserve more blog space. But since he hides in my daughter's recently-vacated-while-she-is-away-at-college bedroom and rarely shows himself except to scurry downstairs for food or litterbox business, it's tough to find enough Snickers-worthy material to write about. And besides, this blog documents the lives of his current mortal enemies (our Labs). His buddies were our former Labs (Stoney and Strider); he doesn't care for Baxter, Elsie, and Ridge. I don't think he minds being excluded here. ;o)

Robin (Her Wryness): I'm a registered cat person, but your tales tempt me to consider adding a Lab to my family. What is the most memorable lesson you've learned from your dogs?

Joan: The most memorable? That would have to be Elsie's recent adventure in the dog food bin. I'll never forget her pained expression or her pot-bellied-pig waddle. She provided the perfect illustration of how too much of a healthful thing can hurt us.

The most important lesson, however, has to be our Labs' demonstration of unconditional love. No matter what we do or where we've been or what we have or how we treat them, our Labs love us still. They always welcome us home (and exuberantly at that!).

Robin (Her Wryness): Your oldest, Ridge, chases affable right off the property in his need for affection. Do you think his loving ways make him a better leader?

Joan: His loving ways endear him to us and make him an easy-to-train dog (he's so eager to please). His leadership with the other two, however, is best displayed in his patience with them and in his willingness to stand firm when he needs to. Baxter and Elsie seem to respect that.

Robin (Her Wryness): Do you have interest in breeding?

Joan: LOL. Not me personally, no (I'm done bearing children). ;o) But yes, we do plan to breed Ridge (our sire investment) with Elsie (our bitch investment), but not until Elsie is at least two years old and has passed her hip and eye screenings.

Robin (Her Wryness): If you had to name the single most important personality trait of Labs, what would it be? And the second most important trait?

Joan: Gosh, Robin. Labs possess so many positive traits that I find it hard to choose just one. But if I must, I'd have to say their people orientation is most important (their love for and faithfulness to people of all ages). Next, I'd say their intelligence. Labs are incredibly intelligent, trainable dogs. Loving and smart is a tough combination to beat.

Robin (Her Wryness): And now, for Extra Credit, what would you say is the Labrador Retriever's theme song?

Joan: LOL. It's Five O'Clock Somewhere (They are always ready to play!)

Robin (Her Wryness): Is that scratching at the door I hear? We better wrap this up. I'll gnaw a bone with you anytime. Thank you for letting the dogs out, so to speak.

[end of interview]

That's the interview. I hope you enjoyed it!

'Til next time,
Joan