Leia Reardin is a very femi-nun lookin’ grrrl: middle-sized, short shiny black-an-white coat, white knee sox, white nose with black polka dots; Cool Kibbles extra-large ears that stick up, then flop over to the sides like she’s about to get airborne. She’s also Very Strong an Ath-leddic; an Very, Very, VERY High-Energy. An Woof! Can she jump!
When the door opened, this black-an-white blur zoomed up, bouncin’ and welcome-woofin’. I introduced myself an my assistant. In between bounces, Leia said, “I’M LEIA. I’M ONE-ANNA-HAFF. THIS IS MY MOMMY, ERICKA! MY DADDY’S BRANDON!”
Boing! Boing! Boing!
My notebook went flyin’. I retrieved it, an braced myself as she boinged toward me for the Wag-an-Sniff.
“Oops! Sorry, Mr. Bonzo! I’m just so egg-CITED! Are you gonna ask me stuff?”
“I am, Miss Leia,” I said. “I can’t wait to hear all about your life: how you found your Forever Famly, what you like to do, your favrite toys, that sorta thing.”
Leia had noticed my Assistant rooting around in The Satchel for a treat, so she stuck her nose in to help out. After she had remained still for a nano second, she accepted the treat.
“I’m gonna sit on Mommy’s lap now, an you can ask me stuff, OK?”
She leaped onto her Mom’s lap, an curled up.
“OK!” I said. “Ready when you are.”
“Well, I was a stray, wanderin’ around, tryin’ to remember where I was ’spose to be, when I got scooped up an taken to a place called H.A.L.O., where a buncha nice humans got me tidied up an ready for my own famly. They figured I was about a year old an that I was probly a mixture of Boston Terrier an Pit. There were lots of other pooches there, too, an the nice humans were always tryin’ to find Forever Famlys for ’em.
“Mommy an Daddy had always wanted a Rescue Pooch, so they decided to check out H.A.L.O. I think they’d planned on doin’ a lotta browsing: There were lots of us to look at. Well, I was the first pooch they saw an, buh-leeve it or not, Mr. Bonzo, I just somehow KNEW they were s’pose to be my Forever Mommy an Daddy. When we went to the Special Meet-an-Greet Room, I came right over to Daddy, jumped in his lap, an curled up. An that was that.”
“That is Totally Crunchy Dog Biscuits,” I said. “What was it like at first, getting use to your new home?”
“Easy! I’m real smart, so I learned the Rools pretty quick. I only had a few Oopses, mostly about Where To Do My Duty. Also, maybe you noticed, I love to jump. I can jump higher than Daddy’s face.”
I nodded. “I did notice.”
“So, at first I jumped up on, well, everything. Specially the table. But I grew outta that, Thank Lassie. Now, when I haff to Do My Duty, I ring the bell by the front door. I’m also learnin’ this really Cool Kibbles thing: Mommy an Daddy got special big buttons. They write words on ’em like WATER an FOOD, stuff like that. An the button can SAY the word when I tap it. Isn’t that uh-MAY-zing? It’s what humans call High Teck. It’s the same kinda thing those amazin’ Service Dogs learn. I’m startin’ to get the hang of it, but I still have Clumsy Paws so I mostly scratch the button, instead of tappin’ it. But I’m gettin’ there,” she added proudly.
She showed me one. They’re about the size of a pancake. “Woof!” I said, impressed.
“Do you have any pooch pals?”
“I play with lotsa pooches at the dog park. At first, I just watched uz I didn’t know how to play with others. Then I ree-lized, ‘HEY, I can do that, too!’ so I joined in. I also play with other dogs at the Canine Country Club. Mostly, I like playtime with Daddy. We roll around an ruff-house. I sit by the door an wait for him to come home from work.”
“Do you have a sched-jull?” I inquired.
“Yes. Spesh-ly mealtime. Mommy an Daddy don’t say the word EAT: They spell it out cuz they think I don’t understand. Which is huh-LARRY-us. Anyway, I always know when it’s time to E.A.T. When it’s almost time, I sit on top of my crate an wait. If it gets to be noon or 5 pee em an they’re doin’ other stuff, I remind ’em by VERBAL-izing. I’m really good with words.”
As she showed me some of what she’d learned, she’d cock her head an listen intently as her Mom spoke. She responded right away. A very smart pupperoonie, no doubt about it.
“When I’m not playin’ or practicing,’ I like to SNOOZE,” she explained. “All day, long, I move from one Snooze Spot to another. Mommy an Daddy couldn’t figure out why I kept movin’, ’til they finally ree-lized, I love snoozin’ in the sun, so I relocate from sunny spot to sunny spot just like the sun does.”
“Makes sense.”
“I enjoy gazin’ out the window, watchin’ people, bugs, lizards, birds. The only ones I DON’T LIKE AT ALL are those COWbirds. I always bark at ’em. Don’t know why.”
“Maybe you had a Bad Experience with a Cowbird as a pupper,” I suggested.
She nodded. “Maybe. I don’t remember.”
“I noticed your lovely pink collar,” I continued. “Do you have other clothing? Favrite toys?”
“I dressed up like a Security Guard for Uncle Evan’s birthday party. An I have Festive Christmas sweater. Balls! I love playin’ Ball with Daddy! An BLANKETS! Whenever I see one, I jump on it! They’re comforting.”
Headin’ home, I was smilin’, thinkin’ about pretty, high-energy Leia, the Bouncing Queen. And realized I share her love of playin’ ball. In fact, soon as I get home, I’m gonna see if my Gramma wants to play a liddle catch before dinner.
Till next time,
The Bonz
