There is a dog in our house. Not just any dog, my 11-year-old granddaughter’s dog named Hunny. Yes, like Winnie the Pooh “hunny.” This 12-pound ball of tan fur has managed to melt our hearts with her gentle nature and tenacity for catching a small tennis ball in mid-air.

While we don’t own a pet, having a dog around the house reminds us of the many years we did enjoy our basset hounds.

Now, we simply have the pleasure of this dog’s affection while we dog-sit on various occasions to help out her busy family. Hunny seems to enjoy our company as we do hers. Our son said she gets spoiled on her “vacation” time with us.

I would not say we spoil her anymore than we do the grandkids. We just have the time to spend with our four-legged visitor more so than two working parents and two school-aged children.

The dog is smart, too. She knows she has us wrapped around her paws. She knows that we will not turn down her requests for ball-playing time even though it tires us out as much as her. The one plus to this activity is that we get some bending and stretching exercise in the process.

Since we live in the country and Hunny is more of a suburb, cul-de-sac dweller, she can get overwhelmed at times by all the wildlife and scents. She’s familiar with deer and occasional turkeys in her own backyard in Pennsylvania, but she is not so sure if she hears a coyote howling here in Ohio County.

Dogs are some of the most loyal creatures on earth. I’ve read stories about dogs that have been abandoned, only to wait at the same spot for their owners to return regardless of weather and time. I just don’t understand how some people can be so cruel.

I grew up with dogs in our family home. They ranged from a Dalmatian mix we called Pepper for obvious reasons, to Pokey, a long-haired sheep-dog looking thing. When I was quite young, our dad raised boxers, but I don’t remember them much. He gave up that hobby when our home was filling up with kids instead.

When this time with Hunny is over at the end of the week, we will pick her up and take her back to her every-day family. She will be overjoyed to be home, but she always gives us “that look” when we have to say goodbye. And the good thing is, she knows we will be back, God-willing.

Heather Ziegler can be reached via email at hziegler@theintelligencer.net.