The look of guilt...

So Busted...

This is the look of a dog that KNOWS she's doing something she shouldn't be doing. Anyone that knows me and Sparkle for that matter, knows that my dog is spoiled; perhaps rotten. But she minds, as much as a Dalmatian puppy can (or wants to). When she naps, she finds an empty chair or couch to sleep on. I've tried a bed, she thinks the couch, or my husbands chair if he's not home, is hers. She is coming along nicely on her obedience, coming when called, sit, stay, leave it, and some of the other more specific things related to showing and going into the Rally and/or Obedience ring. But in our house there are areas that we call AFZ, animal free zone. The most important of these areas is the formal living room and kitchen; I really hate dogs under foot while I'm cooking. And there is the upstairs, which the cat even honors that rule. But I'm sure this rule will change for Sparkle when she is older and no longer has to sleep in her crate. I know she would love to sleep with my little one, but #1, she's still to little to have a dog that weighs 15 pounds more then her sharing a bed and #2 my little one has to many stuffed animals that Sparkle, being a puppy, would love to chew on. Anyway, back to being busted. When the weather is nice and sunny, like today, I open the front door (with the glass storm door closed) to let the sun in. It bakes the entry way, but it's free heat, thank you sun, and the dog loves to lay in the sun. We have a nice rug in the entry way which always seems just fine for little Miss Spotty to sleep on. But I guess today she was feeling particularly more like a princess then usual because she was laying on my love seat in the formal living room. I guess it was my fault, I didn't put the gate up all the way and she just walked around it... But still, look at that face and try to tell me she didn't know she was wrong... That is the look of guilt people... So I took a rolled up newspaper and smacked my hand and said, "Bad Human" for not putting up the gate all the way. (Shame on you if you thought I hit my dog. If you leave opportunity for your dog to misbehave, you have no one to blame but yourself.) Then, after taking the picture, I told The Spot, "No! Off!" And shoo'd her out of the living room. The gate is now in its proper place.