Second endorsement!

I, Windy Run's Allie McChappell, have decided -- albeit with a little reluctance -- to endorse the candidacies of Debra Eldredge, Susan McCullough and Liz Palika for DWAA officerships in the coming election.

My reluctance to endorse this slate has nothing to do with Deb or Liz. Being a Golden Retriever, I'm prepared to think the best of everyone, and I'm sure that Deb and Liz are almost as fabulous as I am. No, my reluctance has to do with Susan, my person. I have put a lot of time and effort into training her to be a better owner. Now I think I should reap some reward from my effort. Let me explain.

I am not just any Golden Retriever. I am the most fabulous Golden diva to grace the planet. It's not for nothing that one of the greatest of all Golden Retrievers, the magnificent Amberac Asterling Aruba, appears on both sides of my pedigree. But for all my great looks, I don't just lie around gracing the family hearth. I am a force of nature. I am someone to be reckoned with. I am a teacher: Susan's teacher.

When Susan takes me for my daily romp and fetch session on a nearby sunlit field, I don't always just tear after the ball and bring it back to her. Sometimes, I decide to play keep-away with her: I'll run off with the ball, let her get just close enough to grab my leash, and then saunter off before she can do so. Sometimes, I'll sneak up behind her, press the ball into her hand, and then dance away before she can react. When we're out for a stroll, sometimes I decide to take a break from loose-leash, polite walking monotony and play a little tug-of-war with Susan and the leash. And during the day, I'm good at finding all kinds of mischief, whether it's shredding toilet paper, routing through the trash, or summoning her to my side by scratching the side of the sofa.

But I don't just do this for my own amusement. I do it to teach Susan how to be a better owner. I've instilled in her important qualities: creativity, a sense of humor, persistence and patience, to name a few. I'm proud to say that after nearly six years of continuous, dedicated effort on my part, Susan is displaying these qualities with reasonable consistency. Naturally, after all my hard work, I'd like to have Susan all to myself. It's only fair, don't you think?

Well -- maybe not.

I have reluctantly concluded that it would be selfish of me to refuse to share the qualities that I have instilled in Susan. I am a big girl. I am mature. I can deal with having her play Ms. Flying Fingers at the computer keyboard not only when she writes articles but also when serving DWAA.

So, please consider this my endorsement for Susan, Debra and Liz. And if they are elected, please don't hesitate to send me a note of thanks. Any treats that accompany those notes -- particularly if they are venison jerky -- will be most welcome.

Best wishes,

Allie