I got out of work a little early yesterday, and when I got home, the dogs, my husband and our neighbor were hanging out in front of our condo enjoying the warm weather. This is a typical afternoon routine at our home; I’m just not usually out of work early enough to enjoy it. While the guys sat on the patio, they let the dogs out into the grass area to wander around while still keeping an eye on them.

When I walked up, Troggie came running to greet me, but Sasha was otherwise occupied chasing her bush buddies. It was such a beautiful day that I thought the dogs might enjoy taking a walk. But Sasha was too excited about pouncing in the bushes to even bat an eye at her collar and leash, so I decided to take just Trogdor.

When you have two dogs, it’s fun spending time with each separately. It let’s you see a little more of the dog’s character, and the dog can focus more on you, too. The best part of walking with Trogdor yesterday was seeing how his whole body wriggled with excitement while we were walking. With his big, slobbery tongue panting out of his mouth, he seemed so happy to be doing what dogs are supposed to do: walk across the land, sniffing, marking and taking in details about their environment.

At one point, he looked so happy that I started cooing to him in that slightly annoying, high-pitched voice that people use with babies and pets. “You’re such a good boy! Are you having fun?” I said. He responded by promptly sitting and looking up at me, still seeming happy but much less focused. I realized that I had broken his concentration. After all, wild dogs on the prowl don’t have to fend with humans speaking in high-pitched voices.

When we returned home, the guys had left Sasha on the patio while they went to run some errands. She was excited to see us, but she gave me that “Where did you go” look, then, like a jealous spouse, she went to furiously sniff Trogdor to find out where he’d been. “You had your chance,” I told her. Troggie just looked wildly happy.