The Flying Arwen and Wishful Thinking

We have two medium-sized dogs. One is a cream puff named Loa, and then there is Arwen, whom we should have named Gollum. On the one hand, she is a sweet, happy dog who only craves affection. On the other, she is so exuberant when meeting people she scares them off with her hyperactivity and sharp claws. We wisely decided to board her at a kennel while Steve's parents were visiting for the holidays.



Steve and Arwen are playing in what we hoped would have been her lair--a completely fenced in backyard. She loves to jump, pull things, and fly in mid air. Unfortunately, she and her compatriot Loa start barking after about fifteen minutes of fresh air, which is apparently toxic to their delicate bodies. Even on the most beautiful, crisp and sunny autumn days, they want nothing to do with the great outdoors.

We could understand if the lair looked like the nightmare the former owner faced, the result of fifty years of neglect:


Even what we inherited might have been beneath their canine dignity:


Steve and David cleared out the dog yard of trash and mowed the overgrown grass:


That was not good enough for the royal princesses. They have a large yard and a dog house lined with wheat straw. Tammy's brothers dogs love this set-up, but not ours! About the only thing that keeps Arwen entertained is this old stanchion Tammy's dad used to support the front porch while restoring the columns. She drags it around like a toy! Does the Dog Whisperer make house calls in South Carolina?