Carolyn Holm

Dear Mom,
Who is coming to join us on our walk today?
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Today it’s just you and me, but tomorrow Valerie will be joining us!
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
When one of your friends comes along, the two of you talk and talk and laugh and laugh and talk and talk and no one talks to me.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
That’s not true. All my friends talk with you. And even when it’s just you and me, as we walk around the neighborhood, you know we stop to talk to our neighbors. Such a social activity! And most of them love to talk to you.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Some of them have treats! That’s even more social!!!!!!!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
They do. We all know that the well-behaved dog is the dog who knows which pocket holds the treats.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Your left pocket.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
That’s right! What a smart well-behaved dog!
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
And I have to sit nicely to get one.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
That works every time, doesn’t it?
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
There’s just one house on our neighborhood walk that I don’t like. The one with the noisy little Bichon.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
We have to walk past that gate really fast, don’t we, just to get away from all the screaming.
Love, Carolyn 

Dear Mom,
Why does he scream like that?
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Good question, because it’s interesting, it’s only from that side of the gate. When he meets us outside of his yard, he is sweet and calm. So I guess the screaming is territorial. And, sweetie, you do that too. Not as high-pitched a scream, but you run up to our gate to go completely berserk, barking wildly at passing dogs.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Not all dogs. I don’t go berserk when Spencer trots by. 
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
You used to have a big crush on Spencer, didn’t you. He wasn’t having it, but you two are on good terms now.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
I don’t bark at Rusty. 
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Sweet Rusty! He has a reputation for not always getting along with other dogs, but you two are quite friendly.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
The three small dogs from around the corner are almost as insane as the Bichon, so I have to challenge them the moment I smell them coming.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
And they sure go nuts when we walk by their house. But you really don’t need to challenge them. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
Of course I do!
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
You could just give them an insolent stare.
Love, Carolyn 

Dear Mom,
No, they are too annoying. And Rosie is another one. She can be annoying too, so I bark at her.
XOXO Poppy

Dear Poppy,
Rosie is not as territorial as the Bichon. She doesn’t scream. She just barks at us from their front porch. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Mom,
No one beats the Bichon for screaming.
XOXO Poppy

– 

A note to our readers…

Please subscribe! It’s free, and with a subscription you’ll get these weekly posts delivered right to your In Box. (You’ll find the subscription link at the top of the page at  blog.carolynholm.com.) When you do, Poppy and Winston will raise their paws to salute you!