Six years ago today, after a sleepless night, I weepily posted New Dog Runs Creampuffs Ragged about how our new dog "Emma" was proving challenging for novice dog owners like us. She made a noise! She didn't want to sleep alone! She didn't know how to play with toys!
It's pretty funny to read it now because, aside from how she's a douche on walks, Emmy Lou is basically the lowest maintenance dog you could ever have. She enjoys eating. She enjoys sleeping. She enjoys guarding the house. She HATES baths. She likes to be near you and sleep. She never wants to get on the furniture. Fin. Seriously - we lucked out SO hard with her.
The noodle has slowed down a lot this past year...A LOT, like she has to sit down a few times when we take her around the park...lending credence to the theory that we have a cougar in our midst. But she still loves to sniff things and be in new places, so when Katr and I went to a conference on Galiano Island last week, we booked the fancy pet friendly room so that Emmy could live the island dog dream.
Island Dog: A Photo Essay
Keeping an eye on the ocean from the lawn in front of our villa at the Galiano Inn.
I took her down to the beach in front of the hotel - there were a lot of stairs, but she made it without faceplanting. Good dog. Then she needed to rest.
Then, to my surprise, she wanted to actually dip her paws in the seaweedy sea.
and then, THIS happened.
WHAT
IS HAPPENING
She stayed in there, letting the waves lap against her, sniffing the wind, for several minutes. I was dumbfounded. When I called her, she heaved herself out of the water and we went back to the room to dry off in the sun.
We returned to the beach once more on our visit, but this time, she shunned the water for the sand.
And she enjoyed several hours of lying in the grass...
and then getting up and lying on different grass.
NOT SHOWN: The prodigious head-rubbing Emmy received from John Mann, who performed at the conference. I couldn't get a picture of this because I was trying to BE COOL because JOHN MANN was rubbing my dog. Emmy did him the honour of not avoiding his magic fingers. Thanks for not embarrassing me in front of John Mann, dog.
Emmy Lou - you have been enriching our lives with cantankerousness, weird smells, adorable sleep-barking and genuine attempts at affection for six whole years. I hope we still have lots more time with you - even if I have to get a wagon and start dragging you around. Which I'm seriously thinking about doing.
