Maggie in Venice

ABOVE: Maggie tries out her Zack & Zoey high-top neoprene boots.

Maggie is currently in the United States, where she's likely to stay this winter so we (and she) can be closer to our 9-month-old granddaughter.

Thanks to a New Year's Eve snowstorm that left our local sidewalks and streets covered with ice, Maggie had to wear a new pair of dog booties before going on a walk today. While Durant held her upside down and Cheryl fitted the boots onto her feet, Maggie did a great impression of a protester practicing passive resistance: She went limp, proving that a 50-pound Beardie can be a lap dog.

On days like today, Maggie--who joined our family as a Beardie Rescue dog--probably wishes that she'd been adopted by a family in a warmer climate...or, better still, by a family that lives year-round in Venice.

Addendum: If you think the boots look goofy, see Maggie in her winter snowsuit.