Best Dog Ever

Matilda the Hun (Weasel Dog) is now 16 weeks old. She is approximately 36 lbs and growing nicely. The housebreaking is finally going beautifully, after only 6 weeks of being in Weaselville.

The pooch is doing incredibly well in puppy kindergarten and learning nicely. Matilda is uber friendly, but not a jumper or a yapper. She enjoys play time for a few minutes at a time before transforming into a piece of furniture and napping a chunk of the day away. Every morning she acts like it's Christmas as the Weasel household wakes up and one by one makes their way down the stairs. She loves to be with people and is always really happy to see everyone and wants to play first thing in the morning.

This is where my only issue with the dog comes in.

I am an early riser. Do not confuse this with me being a morning person. I wake around 4 am on most days and start my day in peace and quiet with my coffee, computer and morning news. I need this slow and easy start to my day. I need 2 cups of coffee before I can be civil to anyone or anything. Luckily, I usually spend this part of my day in solitude. Even the cats have an ingrained instinct of self preservation and have learned to steer clear of me in the morning.

Matilda needs immediate attention first thing in the morning. She needs someone to take her outside right away and she is excited to have company again and enjoys interaction after the overnight hours sleeping alone. The dog and I are not compatible in the mornings, even if we are the best of friends the rest of the day.

In the past 2 weeks, Matilda and I have worked out an unspoken agreement mostly because that early in the morning neither of us are able to speak. When I come down the stairs she sits up in her kennel and waits quietly and patiently while I feel my way through the kitchen to the coffee pot and pour my first cup. I grab the leash, open the kennel, and take the Matilda out for morning relief in silence. Coffee in one hand, lead in the other. She quickly takes care of her business and then we reenter the house, still without any form of morning greeting. I then bring my coffee to the couch, flip on the news and open my laptop as the dog plops on the floor near my feet.

In 10-15 minutes time we repeat this process, still in robotic movement.

Within a few more minutes, an amazing transformation happens as I head back into the kitchen to pour my 3rd cup of coffee. Then and only then Matilda follows at my feet and after I sip we finally greet each other good morning and begin enjoying our day together.

And this is how I know I have the smartest and most awesome dog in the world. A dog who knows her place in my life second priority after coffee and loves me anyway.