Soule: Under the Stars With My Dogs

At 1 a.m., I dragged myself out of bed, pulled on my robe, then pushed puppy Joy out of her bed. She flopped like a beanbag, half in and half out of her bed. I shoved her out of the dog bed, and she rolled over with her legs still curled underneath. Finally, with one more push, she stood, yawned, stretched, then looked at me like I was crazy. Flora, my older dog, was up and already waiting at the bedroom door.

How can two dogs be so different? If I think about going outside, Flora is eagerly waiting at the door. Younger Joy would rather stay in bed and, when nature calls in the middle of the night, prefers to use the indoor plumbing. By indoor plumbing, I mean a towel spread under the window with a layer of newspaper on top. (Not the Monitor! I would never subject this fine paper to such indignity.) To get her accustomed to going outside, I have to roust her out of bed before she decides it's time to go.

When I brought her here from the U.S. Virgin Islands in January, I sympathized with her. I tolerated her newspaper bathroom, but after two weeks, I decided it was time to convince Joy that doggy indoor plumbing was not a thing.

Read More

Carole Soule is the co-owner of Miles Smith Farm in Loudon, N.H. She raises and sells beef, pork, lamb, eggs, and other local products. She can be reached at cas@milessmithfarm.com.