Look Who Came to Visit!

RR knows that my DTS (Dear Twin Sister) has been navigating an unwanted divorce for over a year now, and as part of that process she's recently had to put her house up for sale (something she did not, nor does not, want to do - but must as part of the divorce settlement).

You know what putting a house on the market means: said abode has to be ready to show at a moment's notice: i.e., clean, staged (these days), and free of dog hair.

DTS owns a Golden Retriever, named Gracie, who happens to be shedding (and I thought Lab hair was bad).

Well, guess who's been hanging out at our place while people oogle over my sister's house (we wish they were oogling... and bidding... but no such luck yet).

Yup, the Gracie Girl.




















Gracie (aka Poopsies) is a sweetie pie. And Gracie loves our gang.

















But Gracie, who is an only canine in her family, sometimes needs space from the pack...especially when we give them all treats, like smoked knuckle bones.

There's just something about savoring something yummy all by yourself, and that's tough to do when you're one of six canines in the same room.

No worries, though. Gracie is adept at finding hiding spots. This time her favorite was under the kitchen table:























































And to boot, our gang left her alone (will wonders never cease)!

Granted, they had their own knuckle bones to keep them occupied, but that usually doesn't stop them from tasting everyone else's (like a room full of 2-year-old humans).

Call me crazy, but I think they knew Gracie missed her mom and needed space -- so they gave it to her.

I'm always amazed at Lab intuition with humans -- their ability to read our emotions and then respond in kind. But I think they can be intuitive with other canines, too -- beyond just reading the body language of dominance or fear or play, etc. The "get" each other, our gang included.

And that makes our house a fun, safe place to which Gracie can come whenever she needs to. Her hanging out here gives DTS a break on cleaning, makes DTS's house more readily available to show, provides Gracie loads of exercise and canine interaction, and it gives us all a change of pace -- a nice change of pace at that.

Gracie is welcome at Camp Esherick any time. :o)

Now if only I could get our gang to figure out when I need space.

'Til next time,
Joan