The Dog Pack

As many of you know, Elsa loves her stuffed puppies. It's an obsession that started about a year ago when Howl joined our family—but as it turns out, Howl was only the beginning. Since that time, the pack has grown exponentially.

Howl is clearly still alpha dog. Blackie (the little dachsund) seems to be firmly entrenched as Howl's second-in-command. The pack order for the rest is constantly shifting—we never know which puppy will find Elsa's favor on a day-to-day basis. But rest assured, we do not go anywhere without at least two, and usually three, puppies in tow.

So I took a group shot of the pack the other day. They are, in reverse clockwise direction starting in front:

Howl—a free giveaway from last year's State Fair.

Blackie—a gift from my aunt Nancy. (He came in his own designer purse/dog carrier.)

Fritz—a gift from the Shaffers.

Little Black Nose—a gift from Opa and Grandma H.

Blackie's Mommy—a parting gift to me years ago when I left my job at Contingencies, from my boss, because I wouldn't shut up about wanting a dog (obviously that was long before Belle). Elsa has taken her in and declared her to be Blackie's mommy.

Toda—a gift from the Nevilles. (Toda has a baby somewhere, but the baby is currently MIA. We've got an Amber Alert out. Also, Toda's name changes constantly, but today it's Toda.)

Little Old Waggy—a gift from Quentin and Lisa.

There's also a pink and white poodle who is an important part of the pack, but she was apparently a little camera-shy that day. Her name is, creatively, Poodle. She was a gift from Grandpa and Grandma J.