Where’s the dog treat, asks Maggie


A few years back I mentioned my spoiled Old English Sheep Dog, Maggie, in this column. When in Texas we walk together around Sea Palms, Perdido, Challenger and then back on Sea Palms. We made that trip approximately 180 times (that seems a lot) from January 1 to April 4 of this year. We usually go twice daily. One of my sons remarked that is good for both of us.

Maggie is 7, and when she was about a year old our bank began putting doggie treats in the tube one gets when cashing checks, etc., at the drive-through. That has always worked well with her and she crunches away as we drive away. Recently our newspaper deliverer began putting a doggie treat with the newspaper. Maggie now loves getting the newspaper.

That gives us our first problem. Our mailbox and newspaper box hang from the same pole. Since I get a treat from one side why not the other? We go through this now every time I get the mail. Then there are turnpike and bridge tollbooths. To Maggie they look just like the booths at the bank so why no doggie treats?

Then the second problem! At our bank the drive-through lanes are on one side of the building and the parking lot is on the other. She has learned that if I turn into the bank and make a left she is going to get a treat. However, if I turn to the right, park, and go into the bank no treat will be forthcoming. She grouses a bit as we pull out.

This takes me back over ten years ago when we owned a large (145 lb.) Belgium Bouvier named Abbaye. She was big enough that she usually received a couple of treats and looked forward to them. One day the teller said, “We are out of doggie treats today, sorry.” I knew I was in trouble.

When the container came back and no treats came forth she got mad, barked at me, and the teller, and groused the three miles back home. I got most of the blame for that and we were not friends on the way home. She reacted the same as Maggie at tollbooths. I don’t think she ever put the parking lot bit together but then she wasn’t in the car nearly as much as I now haul Maggie around. I got the same reaction out of her at bridge and turnpike tollbooths.

Strange as it might seem, I have offered the same treats to the dogs as home and they sometimes turn them down. Go figure! Don’t talk to me about dumb dogs.

Newport Paving

I mentioned a column or so back that some streets in Newport are receiving new pavement. Those that were underway then seem to be finished and I don’t believe any others are underway. Could be wrong as I haven’t been on every street in Newport.

New pavement always feels good to drive over and that is true on South Diamondhead. Nice and smooth!

Such are the people, places and things that have touched my life in my home!