Lacy Tails, the following stories are about Lacy. We wanted you to know why we love her so so much..
Heart of Gold
When Lacy was just a pup about 4 months old at the time we went out side on an early cool spring day. Lacy was just enjoying being in the great out doors as most Labs do. She was wondering around and exploring. She became very fascinated by something over near one of our maple trees. She sat down under the tree and was fixated on something on the ground. When it was time to go back inside and I called her to come she stayed put and refused to come which was not like Lacy at all. Lacy has always been very eager to please and learned her basic commands very quickly. As I walked over to where she was and got closer to her I could hear that she was crying, very sad whimpering cries. When I went over to see what it was that she was upset about, I discovered a morning dove that had died and its final resting place was under our tree. Lacy was crying over the dove. Lacy new that something was wrong with the bird but did not seem to really understand why it was just laying there. This was one of the first times that I realized just how sweet Lacy really is. Over our years together Lacy has always shown sensitivity to all beings other animals and people. She is always the first to greet any new animal or foster baby that we bring home even the cats. Other animals seem to know how special Lacy is. Even cats that have not been around a dog are not bothered when they meet Lacy. They just know that she will do them no harm.
Bath Time?
When Lacy was tiny we use to give her a bath in our bath tub, which she really enjoyed. As she began to grow larger this became increasingly more difficult not to say a back breaking task. In the summer we could give her a bath outside but here in Michigan with our beautiful snow filled winters it was out of the question. When she required a bath in winter we had to start to take her to be groomed. When Shelby came to live with us we started to take them both. Lacy is true to the Lab spirit in the fact that she loves water. We even purchased a kiddy pool for her to play in on hot days. Shelby tolerates a bath but Lacy really looks forward to it. When they come home from the groomers we ooh and awe over them and tell them how pretty they look. They in response dance around with tails a wagging. They are aware of how pretty they look! On one particular very long, very cold winter day I decided that I would enjoy a nice warm bubble bath at the end of the evening. I ran the bath water and the tub filled with bubbles. I went back to the bedroom to retrieve my bath robe and all of a sudden I heard a splash. I quickly went back into the bathroom to see what had fallen in to the tub. It was not a what but a who. There was Lacy sitting in the middle of the tub with bubbles all around her. I just started to laugh! She just looked at me with her big black eyes wide and innocent. It was if she was asking what? Why are you laughing? Isnt this bath for me? I guess she really missed her winter baths more then I realized. After this event we started to make sure the bathroom door was shut when ever a bath was being drawn.
I can help my self...
Since Lacy was a puppy we have always fed her dry kibble on the advice of her veterinarian. I guess it is better for their teeth. Like most dogs she preferred canned food. We would go down stairs and bring up a can of dog food for her to have as a treat about once or twice a week. We would usually confer with each other and ask when was the last time the girls had a can? We learned to do this as on more then one occasion the girls, much to their delight were given canned food twice in a row. We keep all of the pet food downstairs in our basement or lower floor of the house. It is cooler down there and it stays fresh longer. I have a shelf and that is where both the containers of kibble are kept along with the canned food supplies. When we go down to fill the girls bowls they stand at the top of the stairs waiting and tails wagging in anticipation of what is to come. The cats we feed downstairs and when I head down the stairs for what ever reason it sounds like a heard of buffalo as all the animals come running hoping that they are going to be fed AGAIN! One day when Lacy was maybe 2 years old or so we discovered another of one of her many talents. I had been gone for most of the day as had the rest of the family. When I arrived home and walked through the front door I was surprised to see some paper what looked like garbage to me laying on the floor. I was a little annoyed to say the least at my kids for leaving the mess for me to pick up. I bent over and picked up the scraps of paper mumbling as I did so. Complaining to myself about when will my kids learn to be more responsible! As I got further in to the house I noticed something else laying on the floor and that is when I realized I was blaming the wrong person (or in this case dog) for the mess I was cleaning up. There on the floor was a can and the wrapper had been removed. I laughed to myself as I realized that apparently Lacy had decided it had been too long since the last time she had been given her treat of canned food. She had gone downstairs and brought her self up a can. Well as I walked through the house I realized that she had not brought up just one can but all of the cans. I guess when she could not figure out how to get the can open but could only get the label off she decided that perhaps the problem was with the can so she went back down stairs and brought up another one. She must have done this over and over until she had brought up every single can. There were cans and labels lying on the floor in just about every room in the house. I found Lacy exhausted I am sure from her efforts sound asleep on the bed and next to her what was probably her last attempt to get herself a treat was another can and the scraps of paper which had once been its label. Since that time when it is time for the girls treat we just ask Lacy to go down and bring up a can. Her head tilts to one side with a questioning look as if to ask really? Oh Boy!!! She then gets up and trots down stairs and returns a few seconds later with a can in her mouth. There is one hazard involved with us letting her retrieve her own canned food as on more then one occasion the can has been brought up and dropped on the waiting persons toe, OUCH! That hurts! Now, if we could just teach her to learn to use the can opener that would really be a trick.