Putting wigs on dogs, not the easiest of sports.

When I was little, I loved Pippi Longstocking. LOVED. She lived in a big old house by herself, had a pet monkey, used gold coins to buy everything, and advocated using snuff. I didn't even know what snuff was, but anyone who walks around freaking adults out with a mannequin arm and has a dad who's a Cannibal King is pretty cool in any eight year old's book. Likely for all of these reasons, my mom hated Pippi, which (let's be honest) probably made me like her more.

Fast forward a couple of decades and change to this past Tuesday, when I stopped by a pet store near my office to pick up Alice a crate pad (which, after running around the house carrying it, she pulled big pieces of the fluff off from it and then wee'd on it. It's a post unto its own). Right inside the door I see it-- a little red wig with braids sticking straight out.

I immediately revert back to my pre-pubescent self, giggling at the thought of having my dog dress as the bane of parents' existences everywhere for Halloween. I had to get it for her.

Putting it on Alice, however, was not the easiest task. We first put it on her tonight while we were getting cupcakes and bribed her with crumbs. As we were doing it, a mom with two young kids walked by. She turned to her older son (maybe two years old) and said, "Look, honey! Look at the dog with the hair! She looks just like Pippi, doesn't she?"

I couldn't help but smile-- here's a parent who in a few years will be taking her son to the emergency room when he tries to walk on the ceiling.

It was too dark to get the camera phone to work, so we had to bribe her with soft cheese when we got home. Alice was a little wound up and was jumping around, and the cheese got everywhere-- in the wig, all over her face, on the camera. I'm sure we'll be finding it all over the house for the next few weeks.

Here's my favorite of the bunch. I think she serves the Pippi legend well.




Also, thanks to everyone who's been voting for Alice's picture on MSNBC. As of 9P tonight, she's gotten 117 votes! Big sloppy pug-mutt kisses to all of you!