Dogs mystify and surprise me all the time, even as I think I know them so well.

Twice a day – when I come out of the shower in the morning – and when I finish washing the dishes after dinner, I turn and find Zinnia, Fate, and Bud all sitting in exactly the same places every single night.

They never bark or whine or complain, they just stand or sit and stare at me, knowing I will soon cave in and open the drawer and give them a small and healthy and digestible treat.

They are patient and polite. Each sits patiently as I give them a treat, one by one, and to each, it is a great treasure, they take their treat and run off one by one to a safe spot in a crate or under the table or in the living room, well apart from one another.

Bud in particular takes great care with his treat, rushing deep into Zinnia’s big crate and back in the corner with a treat to the wall so he can chew on it peacefully without fear of a dog taking it from him.

Fate is a kind of wolf she devours her treat quickly and Zinnia lumbers off, plops down, and chews her loudly and enthusiastically as if it were a marrow bone or a steak.

I keep marrow bones in the freezer, the dog will chew on them for a long time. The dogs are calm when the treats come out. If they lunge or get too excited, I stop and wait a few minutes until everyone is in their place and calm.

I don’t know how they choose their spots but they are each in the same place every time. I am never loved or scrutinized more closely than at traet time. I give thanks to my dogs at least once a day, they are all sweet and loving and beautiful to me.