As a puppy, Emma was not happy to be in a crate or at home staying with me. Our first few months together were rough; she was new to life and our home, and I was new to suburbia. But through puppy training we learned about each other and bonded.
Because she had gotten rather large, and because we have friends who aren’t canine friendly, we set up dog-free rooms.
Boundaries were set and for some reason accepted. Two of the rooms had steps, and outside we used small green wire fences to act as barriers. So silly, so easy, but Emma respected them and her favorite digging and hiding places vanished.
When my elderly father, Guido first visited he thought of her as prissy. Prissy because the first time she was digging and was aware of mud on her paws, she let out a shocked whimper and ran to her water bowl for a quick rinse. But as Emma continued to dote on Guido, giving him her rapt attentions, he fell in love.
Emma remains prissy. Each time she enters the house, she heads for her bed next to the door, gives us each paw to be cleaned and patiently waits for her treat.
The Emma story of legend is one that stars my mother-in-law, a wonderful woman, petite and not comfortable around a big dog.
One holiday a day before the whole clan arrived she deposited three cards under the tree. Each contained checks for different nephews. She told us excitedly that each card would sing a Frank Sinatra song when opened.
Our tree and the presents were in an off limits room. As we left for lunch, we felt comfortable Emma would behave. But this was one of the few times Miss Emma fooled us.
As we unlocked the door we found her sitting in her bed surrounded by small bits of paper: all that remained of the cards and checks.
My first concern was that she had eaten the song chips, or even the holiday candy and we were going to be headed for a Christmas Eve vet visit. But nothing else was disturbed; not an ornament or a present was out of place.
My Mother-in-law came to the conclusion that it was personal, and we agreed that had she shown a bit of love rather than ignoring her, those cards might have been safe. Now each year I give her a small wrapped box filled with shredded paper.
One day we were having a party and our planned sitter for Emma backed out. Usually Emma feels her main job is to answer the door and greet guests, but as some partygoers were uncomfortable with dogs we opted to put her in an isolated bedroom. We gingerly left the TV on with a Law and Order episode, which as we found out, was a marathon.
Each time we checked on her, she was head first on the bed, staring at the TV in a trance. After five hours we never heard a whimper and she never moved.
Since then whenever she hears any Law and Order show, she plants herself in front of the TV and enters her own vicarious, NYC world.
Our Zen dog loves quiet. After she greets guests she will respond to noisy voices with three barks that clearly tell the vocalist to pipe down.
Now we enjoy each day with Emma as her fairly young hips cause her to limp. We know that at some point there will be no options…right now nothing takes away from her joy and happiness. But unlike us people our dogs are rarely crabby, they just go on giving us love.
So send Emma some love and friend her on Facebook.
And as always remember to like Wilfrida's Closet.
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