hats off to the adorably attired

There are two things you should know about Miss Maisie Moon, the beautiful and obliging model in the photo above. 1.) As a German shepherd-beagle mix, she possesses the most admirable qualities of both breeds. She is incredibly intelligent, fiercely loyal, and she can go from stoic guard dog to a cuddly, vocal, crazy-fast whirlwind of silliness in approximately 1.3 seconds. Life with Maisie is never dull. And 2.) she does not suffer fools. Although she is capable of puppy-like playfulness, if a behavior strikes her as ludicrous, she is not shy about letting us know. Maisie will roll her eyes and flash us a condescending glare that would simultaneously put both teenagers and authority figures to shame. Dennie and I knew this, yet we still took a chance on…the hat.

Over the past few years, red-and-black buffalo plaid had inadvertently become our dog’s signature style—sweaters, pajamas, and coats to insulate her from the cold—so when we spied this darling knit cap, we couldn’t help ourselves. It leapt into our shopping cart with all the haste of a shepherd-beagle hearing that most coveted of words: cheese. When we tried the new accessory on her last weekend, we expected, at worst, she would shake her head and paw at the cap in an attempt to free herself from it. At best, we would find ourselves humbled and humiliated by the glare, leaving us—two confident middle-aged dog parents—retreating into the shadows and curling into fetal positions to lament our joint failure as human beings.

Instead, Maisie smiled. She posed for photos. She performed her shepherd show of gratitude (the canine equivalent of a hug), and she went a little beagle bonkers too. In short, Miss Maisie Moon, against all apparent reason, is a hat sort of girl. I suppose that makes three things you should know. 3.) After nearly five years together, our cheese-addicted, goofy, occasionally patronizing pup of impressive intellect can still manage to surprise us.

True story.

So, as we close out another year, allow me to say hats off…to the faithful friends who so patiently permit our periodically peculiar pampering and to the people who adore them too much to resist.

Have a fabulous photo of your own animal companion dressed in holiday or winter gear?

I’d love to see it!

Please feel free to email your photo with the subject line HATS OFF. Include your first name and general location and, of course, the name of the photograph’s star subject(s). (Any material submitted may be posted on this website (jbfitzgeraldbooks.com) or in future newsletters, along with the information you’ve provided. Your email address will never be shared.)