My Dogs are Smarter (Or how doggy beauty is only hair-deep)

Lacy and Cassie were boarded for part of last weekend's trip to California. While there we arranged for Lacy's annual shots and also a long-needed Bath-and-Brush for both pups.

When we arrived home on Sunday evening, two very happy and very nicely coiffed dogs waited eagerly for us. Well, it only took a couple of days to see that tossed right out the window. Or in this case actually the front door.

Last night we were enjoying our brief nightly respite before attacking the usual tasks confronting all homeowners everywhere. While we lounged on the couch the dogs lay quietly in the entry way enjoying the cool tile. It was, after all, nearly 110 outside.

Then came a knock on the door and the attendant barking and bouncing around as Lacy waits for mom or dad to attend this unwelcome interruption. Turns out that a young lady was canvassing the neighborhood (with flyers), letting us all know that her beloved Yorki was missing and asking us if we'd seen it and/or would we keep watch for it.

To her dismay, no we had not seen it though my wife had seen one of the flyers posted elsewhere in the neighborhood. As she was leaving--due to a miscommunication between my wife and I--the front door was left open for a moment too long. Lacy, being ever the opportunist, jumped--literally--at the chance to explore the outside without help of a leash and dashed through the open door, as if chasing our young visitor down the street.

After the initial wave of panic subsided, I bounded out the door behind her. She was still in front of the house, laying on the sidewalk seeking from our visitor the most coveted of all affections--a belly rub.

By the time I got down the driveway she was getting it. So much so, that she was engaged in the doggy-equivalent of purring--rolling around on her back and stretching out. Only she misjudged and rolled right into the gutter.

The gutter full of dirty water and muck, that is. So much for that Bath-and-Brush and the neat coiff.

After getting her back in the house and the appropriate tongue-lashing for her bad behavior, mom set out to clean her up and eventually did. If you don't look too close, you'd never know.

It is moments like these that make us realize just how...not-smart our dogs can be. At the same time we realize that despite it all we count ourselves lucky to be 'parent' to these specific animals. Mud and muck clean up and are but a temporary nuisance. The love and loyalty of two beautiful dogs is far more permanent and anything but a nuisance...