Dogs Have Sensitive Noses!

My Suzie dog is what I call a social butterfly. She loves everyone, and wants to make friends with everyone. She's especially fond of our neighbor Byron.

He stops by out at the shop to visit most evenings, and always has a pet and kind word for her - telling her she's beautiful and smart and wonderful. She eats it up.

That is, unless his boots or gloves smell wrong.

Earlier this year it was the gloves. We couldn't figure out why she wouldn't go near him until I picked up the gloves and she wouldn't come near me! We finally figured out that it was the mink oil he had recently used to keep the leather soft and water-resistant.

But the last couple of days, it appears to be his boots. She gets the darndest expression on her face. She starts to run over to him, the stops and backs away and looks so confused. He LOOKS like her friend, and he SOUNDS like her friend, but... she's afraid to go near him.

Last night he swore to her that he had bathed recently - that was an interesting conversation.

This time we think it may be the fact that his barnyard has been over-run with wild turkeys, and he's walking in their droppings. It isn't mink oil, because those are rubber boots.

I sure wish we humans could understand dog as well as dogs can understand English!