Rain

Tobia: "Rain again today..., how tedious. First weeks of sunshine, dust everywhere, my coat turning sepia. Now rain, rain, rain. "

Peggy: "We aren't made of sugar or salt, a bit of water doesn't hurt anyone!
How can you let yourself be ruled by the weather? When a dog's got to do what a dog's got to do, then you can't really wait for the weather to change.

Tobia: "But I don't like to get wet... and then there is the smell.
Allow me but it seems like the weather is not what it used to be. So much for walks and staying outside."

Peggy: "Hah - 'what it used to be...' You are three years old for barking out loud, it's not that you can remember the days before global warming. Life is now, not yesterday, so stop whining and come outside to play."

Domesticated

Tobia: "I must say that the word domesticated may be interpreted in many ways. I believe that a domesticated animal should be treated well, be allowed to stay in the house, sleep on the bed and be eating cookies if he likes."
Peggy: "No, domesticated only means that you have to be there when they need you, the rest of the time you better stay out of sight. And expect only to eat what they don't want to eat. So learn to fend for yourself. In a way it is just a step above the illegal immigrants on the social ladder."

Getting things done... in time

Tobia: "Peggy, I am not religious but after all it is Easter Sunday. Couldn't you relax, just for once?"

Peggy: "Relax, me? with so many things to do. I have to keep watch, check who has been trespassing, control what that no-good neighbor is doing... well make that plural, now we are sandwiched between 2 no-good bitches. Luckily I can count on the dogs on the corner of the street to give early warning when someone is coming that way.

Of course I could just spend the day sleeping like someone else and what would happen? Tomorrow I would just have twice as much to do and where does that leave us?"

Contests

Peggy: "What was all the fuss about yesterday? First we had to stay out of sight, being quiet, not going on walks, then they went away and when they came back it was all smiles... and still no time for us!"

Tobia: "You can't really understand these things, you don't have it in your genes. It is about culture, education and succeeding. It's called a contest, where you prove to everybody that you are the best. Very English, I must say."

Peggy: "Well, I don't have to ruin a whole day, just to show them who is the top dog. Give me 5 seconds and I'll have eliminated all kinds of competition.
I do that every day, no need to turn it into the event of the year!"

Smoking

Tobia: "Have you seen that my master has taken up smoking again. I can't really say that I like it. It might be different, if he would smoke the pipe and not those cigarettes. I could picture him and me next to the fireplace those long winter evenings. It is probably the stress before the competition tonight that made him begin again."

Peggy: "Of course I've seen it... and smelled it. Stress? he is just using that as an excuse, they always find one. A bit of self control is what they need!
Pipe or cigarettes - eh - that's all the same to me. At least he is not smoking in the house, it's bad enough that his clothes and breath smell like I don't know what.
Besides, you were only allowed near the fireplace once in and that wasn't even you beloved master but the tall one."

Constants

Tobia: "You do look like you are the main character of a new novel by Stephen King, eyes ablaze like that."
Peggy: "The lighting was wrong! That can hardly be blamed on me. Besides not everybody is all looks and no brain! Remember that looks+brains=constant."
Tobia: "Well, if that is true, in my case this constant is very high."

The tall one is back

Tobia: "I am so very pleased that the tall one is back! Of course it's nice to live with my master, almost like in the good old days when it was only the two of us... <sigh> Here I could tell you a long story about the days before you came along..."
Peggy: "Oh, stop it, you were bored out of your skull! Left to your self for hours and hours. Why do people get dogs and then leave them alone or tie them up in the garden and beat them up? I just don't get it! Besides, the rules of the house are much more flexible when the tall one is away."
Tobia: "Peggy, I know that I am going to pay for this later but I have to say that in your case I really understand why your owner sometimes had difficulties restraining from physical violence. Take for example last night when the chocolate disappeared from my masters bag left open in the hall. A good thing that he (like me) believes in non violence."

Bags

Tobia: "Something is brewing, I really can't say that I like the sound of it. Last night they talked about something called airports - or was in hare pots? you never know with these Italians, they put H everywhere where it don't belong. I'm worried that they will be going away."

Peggy: "Well if they are, one of the ones with long hair might come and stay here. Which means long walks and couch time! You should think more about what you are getting than about what you are loosing, that's what I think."

Tobia: "Well, I'm going to stay right here in front of the car so they can't go anywhere."

Peggy: "Fool - the car has to go out the other way and you will be left there, sighing as always!"

A step too far

Tobia: "Peggy, I told you not to do it and look what happened: Now the tall one is angry with both of us and you have been confined to your corner! Is it really necessary to test the limits every 5 minutes? Why can't you be content with what you've got? I don't really understand you at times...."
Peggy: "Well, 'the world' as you put it, as far as I know, is a place in constant movement, and just because I was not allowed to go on the couch yesterday doesn't necessarily mean that I should stay in the hallway today. Where would we be if we just accepted things as they were last year?"

In charge

Tobia: "I've been contemplating... or perhaps I should say that I have merely been giving thought to the fact that you are always trying to control everything 360 degrees from the ground up. Can't you see that you are seriously risking a bleeding ulcer? And that wanting to be in charge of everything, you're not really able to go in depth with anything."

Peggy: "Here we go again... the same old "A jack of all trades, a master of none". Well, mr. Professor, we both know very well who would survive outside this garden on his own and who would not. Remember, it is a dog eats dog world and I might be smaller and of less noble breed but I have my diploma from the school of hard knocks and I'm going to be the one eating!"