For those of you who may be new to my blog, allow me to introduce you to Mabel.  She is our 2 1/2 year old Black Lab.  Around these parts, she is known as The Vixen.  She is in perpetual trouble.  If I could ground her, it’s safe to say she would never see her friends again.  Ever.  But, given that she chews on Mason’s face, they might be grateful.

(FYI: Mason is our other dog, our furry firstborn.  I thought I should tell you this incase you were ready to call CPS on me. Put the phone down. Thank you.)

Mabel loves stuffed animals.  If you are not new to my blog, then you already know of her love affair with Walter.  But now there’s a new pet in town.  Meet Tweety.

Tweety is a cottony ball of yellow fluff with two tiny wings and an smooch-worthy beak.  If you shake him, he chirps.  Tweety cost $1 at Kroger on Good Friday. I bought one for each of my two-legged children…before I found out that they chirp.

Yeah, I totally rock Easter gifts.  Not.

As soon as I came home from work tonight, Mabel absconded with Tweety.  Now, where stuffed animals are concerned Mabel is the traditional soft-mouthed Lab.  (Unfortunately, she is not so soft-mouthed with real animals.  Just ask Mason.  Or the bluejay we buried last week.  On second thought, don’t. Ick.) But stuffed animals, she never destroys.  They just get a new hairdo every time she loves on them. 

As Mabel toted Tweety around in her mouth tonight, I didnt worry too much.  Tweety has been with us for over a week now, and has been in Mabel’s mouth at least once a day, and no worse for the wear.  Soggy Tweety = Happy Mabel.  No worries, right?

At some point during Dancing With The Stars while Mabel was supposedly snuggling with Tweety, I heard a POP.  And then I saw something fly out of her mouth and land on the carpet beside her only to be gobbled up before the next second had ticked.

I scolded her and commanded her to my side.  Luckily, I nabbed her collar as she sprinted past me.  Mabel is not known for her obedience, you see.  She gulped hard and allowed me to swab her mouth.  Little sneak!

“Mabel! You are not supposed to eat Tweety’s eye! Tweety was your friend and now you’ve hurt him!  Bad Mabel!  You are not 3 yet, so small parts are dangerous! You are not supposed to eat the small parts!” Like that meant anything to her.

She blinked at me, turned and sauntered off.  We heard her go into her kennel.  Then we heard her whimper.  Dom suggested that she was a mad at me.

Puh-leeze!

More whimpering.

I called her to me.  This time she came.  She looked right into my eyes, then her gaze slowly shifted to Tweety, sitting on the bookshelf well out of reach.  Slowly the gaze returned to me, and she blinked the saddest little brown eyes at me. 

“Mabel, are you mad at me becuase you broke Tweety?”

My answer was a timid puppy kiss and another blink.

“Tweety needs a break, Mabel.  Let him rest.”  She gave me another blink and a kiss, and gave Tweety another wistful glance before she scooted under the coffee table to curl up and sulk.

Welcome to my world.