Bad dog.

Gunnar smiles. Not just with his cute face, but with the full body wag. He not only smiles, but he talks to you when you talk to him. If you look at him and talk - about anything... the Olympics, current tax law, Josey's flute lesson... anything at all... he vocalizes back... it's very entertaining.

A while ago, we looked down at one of our kitchen chairs and saw that the wood had been damaged. I noticed there was a basketball under the chair (trapped in the square made by the cross bars) and I guessed that the curious pup was scratching at the bars to try to get at the ball. We removed the ball (it came to live there in the first place so it was immediately accessible for impromptu games of horse in the driveway - it's rough to have to go clear downstairs for it.) It seemed to work as there was no more damage done after that.

Today, I got home from work after a particularly long day (drug dogs hitting on cars, jilted cheerleaders pissed off at coaches, girl being sexually harassed, items thrown out a window at a delivery guy... good God). John and the girls were gone and Gunnar was alone in the kitchen. After a genuine smile and a little conversation, I put some food in his bowl and put him outside to eat. I puttered around the kitchen and looked down to see ANOTHER chair that had been damaged! This time there was no "trying to get the ball" excuse, it's just plain chewing!

Fortunately, I used up all of my crabby at school today, so there is none left for Gunnar. Trying days are good for something, then, right?