The tracks ran all the way from the rain-soaked backyard, across the slippery kitchen linoleum, through the freshly-vacuumed living room, up the stairs, down the hall, across the bedroom rug, and mysteriously disappeared at the foot of the bed. A paw print road map leading to a muddy black nose and two tiny paws peeking out from underneath the bed skirt.

The scowl of annoyance melted into an exasperated grin as Melanie got down on her knees, tugging aside the dirt-streaked yellow fabric to reveal a dalmatian puppy, although it was hard to discern the breed’s distinctive spots through the mud clinging to his fur.

“Come on now, Rufus, getting a bath isn’t that bad,” she exclaimed, trying to coax the puppy out. Rufus, though, apparently decided that a bath was not going to be in his future if he could help it. He stayed right where he lay, looking up at her with somber eyes. She sighed. “You know, it should be a crime for you to be this cute – it’s very hard to be upset when you look at me like that!”