I’m Sophie.
At first, I felt lost at Wayne and Kate’s house. The food they gave me smelled just like that glass-room-place. I stuck up my nose and refused to eat—until they made it taste like chicken.
Their yard didn’t smell right, either. I couldn’t find any place to leave a message so I held it. In the house, I chose a room they never used. When they couldn’t see me, I left a message. Then I hurried away.
She scrubbed away my message. I know she wasn’t happy with me, but Wayne always told me, “You’re a good doggie.”
We went on walks, I smelled other dog messages. Sometimes I left my own reply, and sometimes I held it because I didn’t know the dogs in this place. When nothing outside smelled right, I left new messages on the same rug as before.
I tried so hard to be good. I was afraid they’d take me back to that glass-room place. Being nervous meant I couldn’t pay attention to what they told me. I kept on making mistakes. Kate says we are alike. She makes mistakes when she tries too hard, too.
In the mornings, Wayne gave me a treat for going outside to the back yard. When I left a message, he gave me another treat. He always said, “Good girl.”
The backyard smells all right now. I go out often, but unless I need to leave a message right away, I wait for Wayne. I like the treats, and giving me treats makes him happy.
Kate says we are alike. She lets Wayne bring her chocolate for birthdays and Christmases and Valentines because it make him happy. And she likes the chocolate.
Kate Harrington 