Labrador Christmas Capers

Our dog, Taylor (that's her in the picture), loves Christmas. Why? Well, Christmas involves lots of a Labrador's favourite thing in the world: FOOD.

Despite still looking like a puppy (which generally means she gets away with a lot), Taylor is almost nine years old. She is one of the only skinny Labradors I've seen, as we keep her on a very strict diet. Except for when she has other ideas at a certain time of year. Here are a few of her Christmas highlights:

At my previous work, we were given a hamper for Christmas one year. Not just any hamper; a Cadbury hamper. Full of lovely chocolate (which, incidentally, is one of MY favourite things in the world). I left this collection of deliciousness in our spare room, still fully wrapped. I woke up the next morning to find wrappers strewn across the house and Taylor looking very guilty. Yep, she'd eaten the contents of the hamper. The whole lot. It's funny though, that every time I tell this story there is someone who feels the need to inform me that dogs are not meant to eat chocolate. It's not good for them, you know. Um, yep, that's why it was wrapped up in another room and NOT IN HER FOOD BOWL. Thanks for that.

Another year, on Boxing Day, we took her to stay with my parents-in-law while we went on holiday. My mother-in-law loves to cook, especially at Christmas time, and even more especially: desserts at Christmas time. That particular year, she had made a (fiddly, time-consuming) croquembouche which, due to the number of other desserts on offer, was still whole the next day. Sitting innocently in the fridge. That is, until my mother-in-law opened the fridge door and was bowled out of the way by one VERY enthusiastic dog. Taylor took a big bite out of the croquembouche before being shooed away. Bye-bye profiteroles.

Yet another episode, when staying with my parents-in-law over the Christmas holidays the next year (yes, they agreed to take her again!), she discovered their Christmas tree. My mother-in-law woke early one morning to some strange sounds and went into the lounge room to investigate. There was Taylor who, having pulled down the tree, was covered in tinsel and surrounded by the wrappers from the chocolates that had been hanging up. My mother-in-law said she would have almost cried at the mess if it hadn't have looked so damn funny. We haven't asked them to look after her at Christmas time since then.

I wonder what is in store for Taylor this year...