Silas says......

Dear Readers,

Meet Silas - my grandpuppy who lives in Sleepy Eye MN. I say grandpuppy but in essence he is the size of a small horse. Silas is - I am convinced - a dog of multiple personalities. I suspect that there is also a hidden comic within.  If only he could talk....he can't, but the expressions and body language do it for him.  For instance, when one of the lady people of the house instructs him to lie down, he looks and blinks and (so help me) smiles at them as if to say, "You are not the boss of me." The command gets more firm and still he smiles. However, when one of the male population snaps their fingers and points to the floor, he does obey....sometimes slowly and with a combination growl/yawn in protest. The caption should read, "I might be lying down, but on the inside I'm standing up."

For the people he loves, his welcome is exhuberant, big happiness and a giant paw in your lap. "You came! You came! Come in and I will let you scratch my ears and pat my tummy and will wait patiently for the last bite of your cookie..or toast..or pizza. I'm here for ya'."

For those he sees as a threat (the mailman), it's "I see you walking toward the door ...yep, closer, closer....just a few more steps to the mailbox." Then, "WHAT ARE YOU THINKIN' TRYING TO PUT YOUR HAND ON MY DOOR!?" One time I think I heard a lady down the block drop her sack of groceries at his 'If-I-could-get-past-this-door-I'd-rip-you-to-threads' bark.

There are always babies around and while Silas may stretch out to a full 6-feet and appear to be unaware of toys and toddlers, let a non-family member walk in the room and the ears go up, the eyes are fixed on the intruder and he says, ever so quietly, "Don't ...even... think of getting between me and those babies." To my knowledge, no one has tried.

And my favorite ....daily walks - big strong master with big strong dog who 'owns' the neighborhood (and the town); frequently folks cross the street just to avoid him. Periodically, there's a brave soul walking their dog and they stay on the same sidewalk.  Little dog doesn't know he's little and begins to protest loudly to his master. Silas shoots him a glance and says, "You there, little curly lunch-sized dog...bad choice."

Note to potential burglar, thief, intruder .....you might want to rethink that.