Dog

We adopted a dog today. Supposed to be some kind of lab mix but may in fact be something called a Blackmouth Cur. But that's not important, 'cause she's our dog now regardless.

At the adoption event, where there were probably 100 or so dogs up for adoption, Jack was funny; it was like he was in a toy store, and he was pretty agreeable as to which toy he got. "Can we get this one? I like this one." Then we'd move on to another one, which he'd take one look at. "Can we get this one...." Kate was fascinated by all the dogs, petting and touching them, which made it ironic that when we brought one home, she ran wailing whenever the dog (let's call her Laney, because that's her name) approached her.

So anyway, at home, Jack got her to chase him in the back yard, shrieking with laughter when she did. He picked up sticks and threw them, hoping she'd play fetch. He fed her treats about half as often as he wanted to, which was still too much. He let her sit in his lap, for a moment, but when she put her mouth over his hand, sort of teething at it, that was kind of the end of her sitting in his lap for the day.

We took a family walk around the block. Kate skipped ahead, running faster when Laney picked up her pace. Jack, desperately wanting to help me hold the leash, wanted to play while walking, continually cutting in front of her and running backward. "Good dog!" he said. "Good dog!" Jack, let her walk, I said. We walked slow, fast, forward, backward, with Laney weaving about and us trying to keep her in line, keep Kate from running too fast and Jack from trying to run backward, and doling out treats on the occasion when she did something we wanted her to do.

At home, Jack poured the food into her bowl, and we did more little trips out to the yard. She whined in her crate as we ate dinner, and gave the kids baths. And then she slept.

Family of five, now.