Although she doesn't have a direct connection with my workshop per se, I've decided to give my (our) dog, Stingl, her own space here on the site. She is an 11 year old half Great Dane, half black Labrador and the first pet I've ever really had. In the past 2 years, Stingl and I have become very close.

Having no real pet experience until a few years ago (Stingl was an outside dog until then and I never had much contact with her), I was unfamiliar with the relationship which can exist between a dog and his/her family. Stingl has changed that for me in a very profound way. This epiphany is actually rather difficult to explain, but should be easy for other dog owners out there to understand.

At 11 years, Stingl has outlived the life expectancy of her breed. This fact has instilled a sense of urgency in me to record as much as I can about her so that my, daughter and I can have a solid stock of memories upon which to reflect when she is gone.

Stingl's Likes:

• Bread - Man, this dog loves bread. Just plain old sandwich bread. When the bread sack comes out, you might as well be holding a t-bone steak as far as Stingl is concerned.
• Crackers - She seems to like anything sort of crunchy.
• Peanut Butter - Oh, man, let me tell you. She'll take a peanut butter sandwich right out of my hand when I'm not looking.
• Wrestling on the floor - She loves to be rowdy and roll around on the floor. Stingl is a generally calm and quiet companion, though.

I'll mention here that we don't give her these things all the time, but sometimes as a treat.

Stingl's Dislikes:

• Rain, storms and thunder. She's terrified of these things and we're usually up and down with her on nights like these.
• Like any dog, Stingl doesn't like for you to try and take her food or her bones. She'll give you a friendly growl of a warning, though.