How Does She Know?

Surprise surprise...my first non-baby post in awhile is about Shandi :-)

I don't know how, but Shandi can tell the difference between my pants. When I'm at home, I only wear stretch pants. They originally started out as yoga pants but, let's be honest, after a day of sitting on this ass, they turn into stretch pants pretty quickly. But that's beside the point. If I go outside wearing my stretch pants, Shandi doesn't whine or freak out. She knows I'm not leaving the yard.

She also knows when I put my work pants on that I'm leaving the house, but that she can't come with me. We went through a period where she would actually run away from me if I was in my uniform. I mean, I know they're not the most fashionable looking navy, polyester cargo pants, but I don't think I look that bad in them.

Lastly, if she sees me put on my jeans, let the freaking out begin. She's normally a quiet, calm dog, but when she sees me put on my jeans, she turns into a whiny, crazy dog. She makes continuous laps through the living room and kitchen, throwing her toys around and barking. If I step outside to start the van or take garbage out, she runs to the living room window and plunks her head down on the stool and acts all mopey. That is until I come back in to get her and the freaking out resumes.

For those times when I am wearing jeans and I can't take her with me (doctor's appointments etc.), she sits on the back stoop with her ears perked and her eyes...well, I swear to God her eyes fill up with tears. It breaks my heart to have to leave her. But the reunion when I get home makes it worth it. I can be gone ten minutes or I can be gone two weeks - the reaction is exactly the same. She whines and squeals and yips and jumps on me as if we haven't seen each other in ten years.

You just can't get that kind of love from any other animal.

Or person for that matter :-)