How Poe got her name

When we adopted Poe her name was Jasmine. We quickly realized that this little charmer was going to need something a little more unique and started brainstorming. My husband is an english teacher and apparently in my sleep I told him that he could name our next dog.


Going on a literature theme we tried Juliet, Raven, and Puck. She didn't respond to a single name. Not even Jasmine even though she had that name for about 2-3 months at that time. My DH has always been an Edgar Allan Poe fan. He has always wanted to name a female border collie "Poe". When I ever pictured a Poe I had a mental image of a small, intense, dark border collie with upright ears in a classic border collie crouch. I did not picture this:

I made a deal that if she responded we could keep it. So far the dog was only responding to "spastic little shit" at this point so I figured I was safe and we would keep looking. "Spastic little shit" was dozing in her crate when DH said "Hi Poe!". Well let me tell you. "Spastic little shit" jumped up, eyes bright, ears up. She started wiggling and dancing, licking the bars on her crate. Every time we said Poe we got the same reaction.

So Poe she became.

It took us about 2 states later to finally make the leap that Poe sounds just like No. As crazy as she was I'm sure she got "NO!" yelled at her so much that she probably thought her name was No. She was probably thinking "Hey, these freaks know my name...No!".

So yes.....Poe kept her name and will respond to Poe and No with the same enthusiam.

"Hi my name is No, No, Bad dog, what's your name?"

Pomp and Circumstance

After 7 weeks, Poe has graduated from Basic Obedience. She did pretty well in class and rightfully earned the title Class Clown. Just a brief run down of her antics:

- Wrapped herself in her leash like a present
- Hogtied me to her with her leash
- Stole her practice "leave it" cookie every class
- Stole the other dog's "leave it" cookie
- Drooled on the floor during stay exercises
- When confused her default behavior was to spin on her hind legs like a ballerina
- Jumped all over the trainers
- Started holding on to the trainers' legs when they ignored her jumping
- Wrapped her paws around the trainers' leg and held on while they walked away
- Stole the entire plastic bag full of cut up hot dog bits and ran around the room
- I'm sure there are more but post-traumatic amnesia has set in

Poe loved class. She loved the challenge, she loved making a scene, she loved seeing new people. She did very well and has come a long way from the dog that jumped on my dining room table the day she came home. Wait. She did that last week. Never mind.

And major props to the trainers. They never got frustrated, they enjoyed her zest for life and helped me realize that even with manners, crazy will always be crazy. They recognized that her enthusiasm is a gift and we should harness it, not fight it.

So Poesy is moving up to intermediate and was recommended for a tricks class. Yup, poesy will be turning tricks.

And surprisingly enough, she has NOT eaten her diploma.

Snow Day!

So March decided to come in like a lion and dumped about 8inches of snow on us. Hello? Spring? Where are you? Nothing like hearing about a foot of snow and the DC cherry blossoms all in the same news broadcast.

Being from Alabama we assume (of course...we know how that saying goes) that little miss Poe has probably never seen the white stuff. Jackson lives for snow so he was EXCITED to put it mildly. We all woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed (well, Jackson anyway) and headed out for some fun in the snow. I risked the wintry camera killing snow and took some pictures of the kids taking a snow day. Enjoy.

Beneath his sweet face lurks the heart of a beastie:

An Abominable Snow Beastie

Ready to spring on unsuspecting Southerners

Run Poe Run

Old Man Winter is after you!

A Poe in the Snow
Beat down to commence in 5....4....3....2....1

HaHa! I beat old man winter!


Everyone had fun playing in the white stuff. We get all dried off and headed up for a nap and some hot chocolate

WHAT?!?! NO HOT CHOCOLATE?!
You've GOT to be kidding me woman.

And if you find spring can you send it back? Mother Nature really needs a GPS. And a calendar.