My Dad loved dogs and dogs loved him. He always told us stories about the dog he had when he was a kid and the dog he had in the Marine Corps. He would have loved to have had a dog . . . but Mom was the boss and she is not an animal lover. She doesn’t like dogs at all. I think that how a person is with animals tells a lot about their personality.

When Dad was alive, the first thing he would ask when I went to visit was usually “how are the boys”. The “boys” are my two Cairn Terriers. They are sweet little guys, just like Toto in the Wizard of Oz. One is dark just like Toto (McDuff) and the other is Blond. The Blonds’ name is Bailey because he is the color of Irish Cream.

Anyhow, when Bailey was a puppy, he loved everyone. One day about 10 years ago or more my parents were visiting and poor little Bailey tried to jump on my mom’s lap. Hell, even at 3 years old I knew not to sit on my mother’s lap. I digress. Where was I, oh yea . . . she tossed him across the room. Mean, right!? The excuse was that she was startled and didn’t mean to throw the poor dog. Since then she has been quite tolerant of the dogs or at least she pretended to be. She may have some memory loss and other issues but I think there is still a sneaky, manipulative person lurking in there. When my husband is around (she likes him and knows he loves the dogs) she acts fine with the animals. Now, on this visit, hubby was out of town and the true colors shined through. From the time she arrived, any time one of the dogs, oh by the way there are three now, would get near her she would yell and raise a hand as if she was going to swat them. I told her, Mom, do not hit my dogs! For God’s sake just the sound of her voice is enough to traumatize them for life. They soon learned to try to avoid her. Then yesterday we were on the sofa. I was giving my grandson a bottle and Rocky, the little white dog, walked in front of her. The woman tried to kick him! I said MOM, PLEASE DO NOT KICK THE DOG! She said, I wasn’t trying to kick him, I was just moving him with my foot. Move him with her food my a _ _ . What kind of person tries to kick a little 13 lb dog? And you wonder why I have issues!