Brownie Points

Brownie is still with us, at least until his own mommie comes back from her vacation. Brownie is the daughter’s dog, but he’s spent the summer with the mom, who definitely does not like dogs in any way, shape or form. She tolerates Brownie, but she wants as little to do with him as possible.

Because I am one of those annoying people who butts in where I am not needed, I volunteered to take Brownie during the day so he could socialize with my dogs and play in our big yard, rather than spend the days locked in a bathroom until someone comes home. Hearing his barking and whining during the day, as then continue all night long, got on my nerves big-time: I’d rather have him quiet and content at my house than whining and barking at his.

Brownie is tiny, about 5 pounds, but he has an attitude bigger than all outdoors. Mia tolerates him, but accepts him, Daisy is not so happy to be sharing the spotlight with him (and refused to be in the picture), and I am adjusting to the constant tug-o-war between them. Brownie has taken over my bed, much to Daisy’s dismay, and he is not willing to share. He climbs all over Mia, settling down so close to her that she cannot move away. Mia acts annoyed, Daisy growls, and Brownie is oblivious. But, he’s happy. He follows the girls as they go in and out, he waits his turn for a little treat, he curls up either on my lap or along my arm, depending on where I’m sitting and what I’m doing. He runs outside like he’s on fire when he hears a noise in the neighborhood, then comes back inside to let me know he’s assessed the situation and we are all secure and safe, just as my other 2 dogs have trained him to do.

When it comes to the morning walk, Brownie is obviously in charge. As the smallest of the three, he takes point, barks warnings about all the other dogs in the neighborhood, wants to select the corners at which we turn, and stops at new bushes along our route that my dogs have not already vetted. Brownie struts, Daisy trots, and Mia lumbers alongside me, shooting me that sideways look that says, “Really? You are letting him be the walk director?”

We are going for shorter walks because I’m not sure Brownie can do our full 45 minutes each morning, and neither of my girls is happy with that as they barely get the kinks out before we are pulling back into the driveway. My girls want to walk through the entire neighborhood. They need to know who’s here, who doesn’t belong, and where the potential problems lurk, and that takes serious commitment every morning, not a little Sunday stroll. If Brownie stays around, I'm going to have to find out whether he can actually do "our" walk, rather than forcing us to do his walk each morning.

Brownie’s mommie will be home Saturday, and I know he will be glad to see her, but school is back in session, so she’ll be gone from 7 am until about 6 pm because she’s working as an aide with her mother at an after-school program. So, even though Brownie’s owners will be back home together, he’ll still spend most of his existence locked in the bathroom. I don’t want another dog, but it breaks my heart to see such a sweet little guy spend his life in isolation for a crime he didn’t commit.

We’ll see what happens after the weekend, but I suspect that Brownie is going to be at least a temporary member of our family even after his owner comes home this weekend. She’ll play with him over the weekend, but I’m betting dollars to donuts that she’s going to ask me to keep him while she’s at school during the week. Guess I’d better come up with an answer for that.