Why Won't Mommy Let Me Have Fun?

Mommy won't let me have fun any more. It snowed in my neighborhood the other day. It was so white and slippery and beautiful. Lulu, Izzy, and I sat at the door and watched the snow come down. "Don't you just love snow!" said Izzy. LuLu nodded her head and said, "I can't wait for Mommy to take us out in it!"

Mommy must have overheard us because right when LuLu finished talking, Mommy said, "Girls, do you want to go outside?" We all three ran over to Mommy as fast as we could. Izzy had to wait in her crate while LuLu and I went outside. LuLu went first. I sat at the door and watched them having fun. Mommy and LuLu ran up a hill and back down. They ran in circles together and I could see them both laughing while they ran.

I got tired of waiting for my turn to go outside with Mommy. I started to cry a little, but Mommy couldn't hear me so I started barking as loud as I could. That did the trick. Mommy and LuLu came home. "Ethel Frances, I heard you barking your head off. Do you want to go outside?" I wagged my tail as fast as I could. "I see from your tail that your answer is yes. Let's go!"

We walked outside in that beautiful snow and I started to run. I felt Mommy pull my leash. "No, Ethel Frances! Don't run! Heel!" Why couldn't I run? LuLu ran. I didn't understand. I can't talk so I tried to communicate with my eyes, eyebrows, and tail. I drew my eyebrows together, looked up at Mommy with sad eyes, and made my tail stop wagging.

Mommy looked at me and gave me a big hug. "Oh, Ethel Frances! You look so sad. You want to know why I won't let you run, don't you?" I answered by wagging my tail a little. "Your leg isn't healed yet from your surgery. Even though your surgery was six weeks ago, your leg is not all better. If you run, your leg will not heal and you might need surgery again. That would be terrible. So you have to trust me and your doctor. I feel bad that you are sad about not playing in the snow, but I love you so much and I want your leg to get better. When it does, you will be able to run and play again. OK, honey?"

I stood there in the snow, thinking about everything Mommy had said. I looked up at her and smiled. I wagged my tail and leaned against her leg to let her know that I understood and that it was OK. I sure hope my leg gets better before we get snow again.

We Tricked Mommy but She Got Us Back

I don't know what Mommy was thinking Wednesday night. She got home from work, and just like she does every work day, she took LuLu and me out and then she took Izzy out. When all of that was over, Mommy called out, "Who's hungry? Does anybody want to eat? Who wants dinner?" All three of us ran into the kitchen. There we found Mommy preparing our dinner. She said, "Wow, girls. It's seven o'clock. I am sorry I am feeding you so late."

I said to my sisters, in Dog Language, "Mommy might be sorry, but we are hungry! Right?" They nodded their heads and we all chuckled. Mommy gave us our food, and we gulped it down in about three seconds. A little while later, Mommy said, "It's 7:30. Who needs to go outside again?" LuLu and I ran over to our leashes and Izzy ran in her crate to wait until we came back inside.

When we came back inside, Mommy sat down on the sofa. "Whew! I am glad you are finished. I am so tired that I can hardly keep my eyes open." Two seconds later, Mommy was sound asleep. My sisters and I watched TV, and to tell you the truth, all three of us fell asleep, too.

Next thing I knew, Mommy was waking me out of a deep sleep. "Good morning, girls! Did you sleep well? Are you hungry? Want breakfast?" I was still sleepy, but I am always ready to eat. LuLu and Izzy woke up, too. I went over to them and whispered so Mommy wouldn't hear us.

"Good morning?" I asked. "Something weird is happening. Mommy said it's time for breakfast, but it looks like night time out the window. I am sleepy like it is still night time, too. Even though it feels like night time, Mommy wants to feed us. I am very happy about that, and if you agree, I will let Mommy know that we are ready to eat. OK?"

LuLu and Izzy started laughing. LuLu said, "I am sleepy like it is night time, too, but I would be happy to eat dinner again." Izzy said, "Me, too! Let's go in the kitchen and see what's going on."

"Ok, girls. Here you are." Mommy put our bowls on the floor. We gulped that food down faster than we had ever gulped! Mommy stood there watching us. Then she looked at the clock, rubbed her eyes, and looked at the clock again.

"Oh no! Girls! What did I do! Its only been two hours since dinner. I thought it was morning. Why did you eat again!"

LuLu, Izzy, and I just stood there looking at Mommy. The answer to her question was pretty obvious. We ate because she fed us. We looked at each other, trying not to laugh. Mommy stood there looking at us and she started laughing.

"I was so confused when I first woke up. I thought I slept all night. It is not good for you to eat so much so often. I am sorry, but I can't feed you when it is really breakfast time. Let's go back to sleep."

When we woke up, Mommy was getting ready for work. She got coffee and yogurt, but no dog food. "I am sorry, but you won't be having breakfast today because I gave it to you last night. Remember? I will give you a couple of extra biscuits so you won't be too hungry."

So, we tricked Mommy, but she got us back. I learned that two dinners in one night equals no breakfast in the morning. I don't think that is fair, do you?

My Leg, Part Three

Mommy took me to the doctor Friday. I got good news and I got bad news. The doctor came in the room, patted me, and asked me how my leg was feeling. I was surprised she asked me a question. I was surprised that my doctor didn't know that I couldn't answer her question. I wonder why she doesn't know that dogs can't talk. I turned and looked at Mommy and drew my eyebrows together to show Mommy that I was a little confused. Mommy chuckled and answered the question for me.

"Ethel Frances is doing much better," Mommy said, "but her leg still hurts. She doesn't cry anymore, but she does limp." The doctor held my leg, squeezed my knee, and moved it back and forth. I wanted to tell the doctor that after she got finished with my leg, my knee hurt more. But, as I already said, I can't talk so I couldn't tell the doctor how I felt.

Mommy and the doctor were having a long conversation. Mommy always asks the doctor lots of questions. Here are some of the answers: "Ethel Frances still should not go up and down steps. Ethel Frances can walk fifteen minutes, three times a day. Ethel Frances can go back to visiting residents at the nursing home."

All of that sounded pretty good, but the doctor wasn't finished answering Mommy's questions. The next thing she said made me sad. "Ethel Frances should still stay in the kitchen when you are not home." Mommy said, "I am pretty sure my dogs sleep when I am not there. We live in a little, tiny house. I confine the dogs to the living room and dining room. Isn't that good enough?"

The doctor replied, "Ethel Frances just went through a painful surgery. Why take a chance of her re-injuring her knee when you are not home? She and LuLu might decide to play rough and you won't be there to stop them." Mommy looked at the doctor and said, "You are right." Then she looked at me and said, "Ethel Frances, you will have to stay in the kitchen for four more weeks, but you can go visit your friends at the Home in two days. OK, honey? I want you to be safe and I want your leg to heal."

Oh well. I still have to stay in the kitchen all alone when Mommy is gone, but at least I could go visit my friends. This morning, Mommy called out to me. "Ethel Frances, come. Come here girl. Let's go bye-bye! Want to go see Valentina?" I was so happy and excited. When we got to the Home, we were talking to some friends and Anita and Valentina walked in. Valentina was wearing her harness because she was working. She was taking Anita to visit her mom, Sophie. Valentina is not allowed to play when she is working. I remembered that so I stayed away from her until we got to Sophie's room. Anita took the harness off. We played a little, but I remembered that the doctor said I am not allowed to play rough so I lay down on the floor.

Valentina and I totally understand each other. I stay away from her when she is working and she stayed away from me because I had surgery. No one even had to tell Valentina. Anita said that Valentina and I understand each other because we are friends and we love each other -- just like our mommies do! I am grateful for my friends and my mommy.