
She’s no angel. Last night, I allowed Gretchen a moment with her spoils, just to prove my point. Bad idea. A few hours later, I was in the bathroom and heard the Knight speak sharply to the wee one, twice. I wasn’t surprised when I returned to see my Creatively Dyed cashmere blend on the other end of the sofa, but Gretchen was in the floor playing with a non-knitting toy. My girl has expensive tastes.
The girls are at work today, and will be again tomorrow too. Neighbor Dude came and got Sissy for me when I pulled in, and she and Shadow were playing happily when Gretchen and I came in. Next thing I knew, Dae had rushed out of his office and was speaking firmly to Shadow, Sissy was in a submissive pose, peeing, and Gretchen was climbing up my leg.
A switch flipped in Shadow’s head when Gretchen came in, and he decided to guard her from Sissy. After some alpha moves by Dae, the Knight and me, Shadow settled into an uneasy watchdog roll, and Sissy eventually got comfortable enough to engage in play with her little sister. He and Dae soon headed home for a long weekend of RVing, but we’re going to have to be sure to put Shadow in his place in the future.

Today’s Dogs on Thursday post is REALLY about a business I hope you’ll consider next time you need pet collars, tags, etc. Pet Expectations EXCEEDED my expectations! We’re big on harnesses in our house (for the dogs, people!!), so I began looking for a wee one for Gretchen. I’m now sold on Lupine and their guarantee, so off I went to find a special pattern to match the adorable leash Nichole sent Gretchen. I found it elsewhere, placed the order, only to receive an email (AFTER the Paypal payment had been accepted!) that there would be about a ten-day delay as THAT style/pattern wasn’t REALLY in stock. Hrmph. At least the vendor gave me the chance to back out, so I did just that. Google led me to Pet Expectations, and now, I can’t imagine buying Lupine or tags anywhere else.

If you have a standard monitor (say… 15+ inches?) that’s probably about life-size Gretchie there, sporting her new harness. This vest or “step in” style is what Mugsy’s internist recommends to avoid trachea trauma AND to prevent the reflex that all dogs have to pull harder when their throat has something (collar?) pressing on it. That size will likely fit her for life, and thanks to Lupine’s guarantee, will be her regular-wear harness for the rest of her days. We do have plans for a 3/4″, sturdier model when she’s full-grown, for playing in the surf and more strenuous activities where we’ll need more control.
However, as delighted as I was to find the matching harness and have it within two working days, the real find was the Remembrance keychain. The two tags are identical on the one side, and the back of each features each boy’s information. Blue for Fred and red for Mugsy, although the one I order for the Knight must be different… GREEN for Fred (that was Fred’s primary color, with blue as his second option), and the red for Mugsy…
The keychains are warrantied for life too. If you look back at the “group” photo, you’ll see a couple of freebies too. Each month, many Lupine vendors offer a free keychain with purchase (with strings attached, in many cases), and Pet Expectations also does a free pen of the month too. Did I mention the great customer service? I also ordered wee bones with each dog’s name and the Knight’s cell phone number on them, and they’ll go on their collars just as soon as I remember. Sissy’s current collar is embroidered with the same info, but that collar is about to become her spare.
I know this was a long one, but really, Jill of Pet Expectations is a gem I needed to share with you. (Lupine AND Jill offer cat products too, my feline lovin’ friends!)
Have a great little Friday and don’t forget to visit the other Dogs on Thursday!