Originally uploaded by EmLocke12.
Easter weekend, eight years ago, we brought Maggie Zelda Mae home from the breeder and introduced her to life at the White House.
That day, we began to introduce some new words and phrases into our vocabulary.
1. Hurry up!: command. Spoken in a light and excited tone to encourage Maggie to ‘do her business,’ preferably in a speedy fashion. Synonyms: “In the pachysandra!” (My dog is very polite and dainty and likes her privacy in the pachysandra.)
2. Pedestrian trip: noun. Spoken quietly and ideally without moving lips or even the subtlest gestures toward the dog or her leash. Introduced when the word ‘walk’ became a catalyst for mahem in the house and she also learned to spell the four-letter-word.
3. Good girl*: endearment. Spoken in the most saccharine croon or the most tender whisper.
In honor of her anniversary, my mother gave her a full-body baptism. Actually, she got a bath because she showed up at the backdoor with her fur full of deer manure, to put it delicately, and a big grin on her face. (*Note: “Good girl” is not always an appropriate term.)
The poop roll is something we’ve had to endure more than once over the last eight years, but it’s been worth it for all the other things she has brought into our lives.
