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Dear Mattie,

I know you wait all day for us.    I know you are the best wild dog a mom could ever hope to have.
However, you chewed my pillow.  Not once, but twice.   I know it is a sign you are angry.   I know there are far worse things you could choose to nibble....BUT it's Thanksgiving.     I ignored the tiny hole you put in the pillow you drug out into the backyard.    I brushed it off and put it back on the couch and was thankful for being your mom.   I even briefly blamed Stevie.   I hoped the tiny hole was I.T.   Hoped the chewing was a temporary  set back.  BUT NO.   We were home talking and playing and then your dad came home and we had to go shopping for groceries.    I even skipped getting my nails done so you could have dinner on time.   BUT NO.   We returned from  HEB to find stuffing and the second pillow with a bigger hole and you looked at me and wagged your tail.   You wagged your tail while I said "No Mattie"   "No chewing".    You did have your head lowered as  a sign you knew you were naughty.   Then you went and sat by Dad and he scratched your tummy and you ignored me.  Ignored me like I was the naughty one.
Hello....It's Thanksgiving.    Are you thankful for your squirrel walks?   The dinner time that comes every day around 5pm?    What about sleeping in the big bed and no more trips to the kennel when we leave town?    And what about that nice place you get to sit on road trips?   Head in dad's lap and me scrunched up in my seat never saying a word?   I move Stevie for you, keep his puppy teeth off your legs when you look desperate and then you CHEWED MY PILLOWS.   What do you have to say for yourself?  Seriously now.   I want to know how you can defend your actions.
I have something to say too.   
"Sorry I yelled at you."    "I should have kept the pillows in the closet."   "I don't need a soft place for my head....really I don't."

Love,
Mom

Mattie Played

Here's how it usually goes.
Throw a ball her way...she thinks you're trying to hurt her so she runs away.
Try to play tug and she lets you have it.
Peek a boo sends her walking away ears pinned to her head which is her first indicator of I'm scared and you did it so please stop now.

Prior to last night the only play type activity we've seen was her pinning down her brother or the two of them stealing the bone and running.   She hadn't played with us.  She comes to us for love, food and walks.    

One of Stevie's fav games is "footsie".   He's on the bed,  perched on the edge and you grab at his feet and he barks and plays keep away.
Last night when Stevie was playing....Mattie decided to play with her dad.   We had to hold Stevie down to keep him from ruining the first ever moment when Mattie joined the game too.

We think Mattie missed out on the playing stage of development  that puppies have with humans.   She didn't get much help in that area from Bart or Ollie either.   Walking to the sunny window to sleep for 5 hours and snore was their activity.   

So, one year and a couple of months after joining our family, she is confident enough to play.  
I think it's still to early for the Frisbee.  But I'm hopeful.

Back to the drawing board

Stevie tried to fly out the window of the parked Yaris.
Stevie almost had his head crushed by the door of the parked Yaris.
Stevie leaped out of the back of the parked Yaris, ran across a hotel parking lot and then stared down his parents.
Stevie stood on top of his crate and decided it was time for someone to hold him so he leaped into the front seat shifted us into neutral and was held.
With this,  one could wonder why the stupid parents didn't put the dog into the crate.   This stupid parent has no answer.   Slightly reminiscent of us  giving cars to the driver in the house  who kept wrecking them.
We're slow.
I think it's simply not going to be enough to hope that Mattie's perfectly charming goodness is going to rub off  on her brother. 
One of the parents needs to be better with "NO STEVIE".  The other is taking the walk of shame back to dog school.

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Home

Three days of traveling around have us all tired. Seeing college girl swim was a gift and therefore the fact I can't breathe is a mild inconvenience. I am, however allergic to Arkansas.

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Fayetteville Trees

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Oklahoma or bust!

Rory,Sandra,Mattie, and Stevie are going to see Cassie.

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More Pillows Please.

Last year I  bought some lovely mustard colored pillows for my couch.   Lovely mustard colored pillows lasted less than a month with new dog who had sharp white teeth and attachment issues.
I thought it was safe to buy new pillows.   I waited a year .  Our heads are not comfortable when we stretch out to watch TV.   The couch lacks color.   I bought two new pillows at Target.   I found one new pillow by the dog door on Monday.   I talked to her about it.   I told her she had pillows and cushions outside.   I told her she had a new fun playmate named Stevie who loved her.   I told her we loved her.   I reminded her we walk her almost daily.   I also reminded her she gets to eat Royal Canin Puppy 33 and she isn't really a puppy, but we continue buying it because she loves it.   I added that we brought her ribs (with meat on) from Salt Lick so she could enjoy her first bone.  ( we know she has already enjoyed rabbit bones).  
She didn't listen.
Tuesday afternoon I came home to find both Mattie and Stevie chasing and playing in the backyard and both new pillows were now on the floor by the doggie door.   I called and Stevie came fast and happy.   Mattie....not quite so fast.   But very happy.
We'll talk more.

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Enter here please.

Before candy could be dispersed I had to remove the 3 pair of sneakers from the top of the table, another pair from the ground,  the swim gear bag left from August, the dead plants, leaves and cobwebs.   The bushes blocked the step so Leader cut the sides of the bushes,  add a few flowers and presto we are ready.    Then it started.    The lookout would bark, both would run to the window to see who was coming, then both would go to the door and wait, wiggle and growl.   All was good until one of the last visitors decided to lunge into the doorway with a big BOO.   This was a bigger middle school size visitor.    If I hadn't held Mattie's collar she would have lunged to protect her leader.  
We don't lunge or BOO the leader.     I don't remember last Halloween with Mattie.   We had been her home for just over a month.   I would imagine we put her into the crate that now sits dust covered in the back of the garage.      This Halloween  she knew to watch and run to the door and look.   This Halloween she had Stevie to help keep watch.   This Halloween she guarded her home and  Leader and I think for the first time I saw that she would indeed bite to keep him safe.   Good thing she likes me a lot too.   

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