Dear Journal,
Today was another splendid day with Jennifer. Jennifer is my leader, sister, and best friend. She makes me very HAPPY! In the morning, I came out of my crate and Rolled Over on the carpet. I like to pretend the carpet is grass and leave my scent all over it. Sometimes Jennifer laughs at me, and that makes me HAPPY! When she smiles or laughs, my heart feels warm and my tail wags.
Then we went downstairs. I ran QUICKLY to demonstrate how strong and athletic I am. I am a super fast dog!!! Jennifer ate breakfast and looked at her bright rectangular screen. She calls it her laptop. She looks at her laptop a lot, and it makes her laugh and cry. Sometimes Jennifer's friends appear in the laptop and talk for a long time. I don't understand how they got inside there, and I become very confused and tilt my head.
After breakfast, we went outside for morning patrol. I spotted three squirrels in sector 9, but I only barked once, because Jennifer does not like me to bark. She says "no Eliot" and "that's rude" in a low voice. She does not know that squirrels are EVIL and plotting to take over the world. I have to protect her by scaring them off with loud and manly barks!
Jennifer gave me 5 treats before she left for work. I was very HAPPY to eat them!!! After I finished, I remembered that Jennifer left, and I cried for a while.
Then I went to the back door and looked out into the distance. I thought about the important, overarching questions of life Jennifer often asks me. "Should we go for a walk?" "How was your day?" And most of all, the question people ask me whenever they come over: "Who's a good boy?" These are wonderments and issues I ponder when I am alone. Who is a good boy? Will I ever find out?
After that, I chewed my peanut butter bone, and I was very productive. Then I was tired, so I slept on the couch. When the sky became dark, I heard sounds outside that mean: JENNIFER IS BACK! Every time she returns, I greet her at the door with my task of the day. Today I brought her my peanut butter bone, and she was very impressed. I am a super good chewer!!! I stared carefully at her face to figure out her mood. Her eyes were tired and happy, which means she had a good day!
Jennifer put her things down, and I hugged her for a long time. Then she sat on the floor. I Rolled Over so she could pet my tummy. It felt GOOD!!! I like to put my Paw on her shoulder. I also Sat very straight, crossed my arms, and held my head high so she could scratch my neck. I am a very dignified and handsome dog.
Then, Jennifer wanted to play. She threw several of my toys (including the fuzzy ball) around the room. This is strange. She wants me to bring the toys to her, but why does she throw them away in the first place? I am training her to stop this habit by ignoring her when she throws things. She is improving slowly. My favorite game is Hide and Seek. I am super good at it!!!
During evening patrol, there were no squirrels, but I saw one cat and two small humans in sector 4. I marked 16 rocks, bushes, and fire hydrants. Jennifer collected my poop in a bag.
After we returned, I was tired and wished we could go to bed. But I waited several hours for Jennifer to finish her tasks. I am a very patient dog. I Sit close to her and stare at her face. That way, I know what she is feeling. This is very important, because my task is to protect Jennifer and make her happy.
Tonight, Jennifer's laptop made music. I am a sophisticated dog and enjoy music. I love Bartok, Elgar, and Beyonce. When I hear these songs, I Sit straight up and focus very hard. Sometimes Jennifer and I make music together. She plays violin, and I sing. I am a very loud singer, because I am very passionate!!!
I took a nap until Jennifer said, "Let's go upstairs." I ran QUICKLY upstairs to the bedroom. I am a super fast dog!!! I grabbed my teddy bear and flung it into the air, to demonstrate how strong I am!!!
While Jennifer took a shower, I went into my crate. It is very warm and smells like me. Ever since my first day living with Jennifer, I slept in this crate. Before that, I lived in another crate in a different building, with no blankets or toys. I had dog friends, but I did not have a human to protect or love. I was very confused and empty, because I had no job or name. Because of Jennifer, now I know my name is Eliot! My job is to protect and love Jennifer! My whole life is Jennifer. And I know I am cute, smart, and the Best Dog, because Jennifer tells me that every day. I am so lucky!!!
After Jennifer got into bed, our room became dark and I fell asleep. I had many lovely dreams about playing and snuggling with Jennifer.
Love, Eliot
