Expelled

Yesterday, I saw an ad for a Saturday special at a doggie day care: an all day play date for ten dollars. My female, Penny, is a high drive dog, and she has been cooped up in the house for the past week or two, so I thought I would sign her up and let her get out and burn off some energy.

Penny was thrilled to ride to the facility, and greeted the handler enthusiastically. The handler took Penny into the playroom on a leash, keeping her close. Penny was greeted by two huge Great Danes, an Italian greyhound, a black Labrador retriever, a Visla, and five or six other mixed breed dogs. Penny wagged gamely, but one of the Danes growled at her. The sniffing continued for five minutes, and the Lab finally got a bit too personal. Penny snarled.

I would have, too.

Then the Lab, a member of a breed who does not get the subtleties in life, approached again, and Penny lashed out again. Now she was mad. The handler brought her out and handed her back to me. "I can't trust her around the other dogs, especially the little ones," she said. Penny wagged delightedly--she was glad to see me.

How humiliating--expelled from day care.

Penny took it all quite philosophically. She went with me to the grocery store, waiting in the seat while I shopped, and then went with me to the bank. I came to the realization that, while some humans prefer dogs over people, Penny prefers people over dogs.