DOGS

Dear Savvy Reader,

The older I get, the more I appreciate my dog Sophie. She is always so happy to see me. It doesn't matter if I've been away for an hour or a week, she's at the door waiting. Her tail wags, her face smiles, and she runs to find me a "welcome home" toy.

Sophie also helps with two of the problems faced by people who work at home, as I do. First, she makes me feel safe and protected. She has the loudest, deepest bark that I hope scares potential intruders away. When the doorbell rings I usually open it to find the person cowering at the door, expecting to find an enormous snarling dog instead of a mid-sized one with a wagging tail.

Second, she gets me out of the house and in contact with other people. Each morning at the park, I connect with all the other dog owners for whom the park is our community. I know all the dogs' names and breeds, but very few of the owners' names. And yet we know so much about each other's lives through our everyday conversations. It's an intimate yet strange connection, facilitated by the dogs.

Having a dog in the house creates energy and movement. She barks, she runs around with her toys, and she chases squirrels. It moves the "chi" around the house – something Feng Shui experts say is important. And I never need to use the Dustbuster when there is food on the floor, because Sophie always gets there first. She especially loves having young children visit, because she knows she can count on a feast. One granddaughter willingly obliges, hand-feeding morsels to Sophie before they drop to the floor.

Over the years, my life has been enriched by sharing it with a toy pom, three daschunds , two English setters, a cairn terrier, a golden retriever, and Sophie, a PBGV. I couldn't imagine life without a dog, although I like the idea of not having to do early morning walks, scoop poop, take a trembling dog to the vet or arrange for dog care every time I travel. On balance, however, it's well worth the trouble and expense. Anatole France said it best: "Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened.” I couldn't agree more.

Yours in dog-owning bliss,

Simone

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