Between Thanksgiving and Christmas Lucky decided she did want to play with toys. The Snoopy and Charlie Brown dolls were under the Christmas tree on the floor. Before we moved they had been seasonally upon the mantel with the Linus tree.

You might recall she decided they looked like fun and began chewing on them. That is a feat for a dog with few teeth. The vet had pulled eleven of her teeth before we adopted her from the shelter. She had ruined her teeth trying to chew her way out of a cage when she was held for breeding in Kentucky. (See Killer Dog? https://wordpress.com/post/treasures-in-plain-sight.org/7223

Eventually she chewed a hole in Snoopy’s neck and we had to remove it from her. Then she went after Charlie Brown. As his stuffing began to fly we took that away also. Could not let her get to swallowing that stuffing and a needing a vet visit. I pondered whether I should mount the heads on the wall like a trophy hunter would? For a time they were just in the office closet. She knew right where they were, but could not reach them. Some friends even told me that Kohl’s was selling them again right at Christmas for about $5, but I never made it there to purchase new ones for her.

I did buy her a rope toy suggested by Chrissy. She called it floss – basically strings knotted to form a rope. Lucky mostly licks it but occasionally gets to chewing at it. Eventually, after the holiday busy-ness calmed down I wanted to mend Snoopy and Charlie Brown for her to enjoy. I could not get their necks under the sewing machine needle, so I had to sew them up by hand. Lucky was delighted when I returned her toys to her!

It took her a while, but eventually, you guessed it, she had another hole in Snoopy’s neck. Bob removed it when he saw the stuffing flying. She has been making herself busy working on Charlie Brown’s shorts. I told my friend Lucky thinks Charlie changed his name to the name of her possible disease, so she is attacking his groin. Got at least a giggle from her! She loves Lucky.

How many times will I mend those? No telling. Snoopy now has another row of stitches in his neck. She is a sweet dog even though she has a streak of that stubborn beagle-ness in her. We have our stand-offs over issues besides toys.

But hey, who cannot love a dog who was mistreated, rarely barks, bawls us out if we leave her in the kennel and go out (think when she gets her flea drops). She is gentle and kind. The only thing she likes better than us is food, treats, dishes with gravy, etc!

Yes, I give thanks to the Father for bringing this dog to us during the pandemic. She certainly cheers us more than she aggravates us. Right now she is at my right leg while Bob dismantles the sitting room preparing for the painter later this week. She is watching him carefully as he places picture frames on the other side of my desk. She just ventured out to see where he went. So curious!