If you are a Harry Potter fan, then you may remember a quote from the wandmaker Garrick Olivander, “The wand chooses the wizard, Mr. Potter. It’s not always clear why.” I’m reminded of that quote when I think of our dog Pearl. She couldn’t be more perfect for our family. Like Harry Potter getting matched with the wand that properly fit his destiny, Pearl is just the perfect dog for us. She loves the yard, running with the girls, and chasing the endless supply of lizards on the patio, but she is equally content taking a morning, afternoon, or evening nap, or just relaxing in the room while we read books during a warm afternoon.

There is one group in our little homestead that she doesn’t get along with. The Chickens. Pearl has a route that she runs in the backyard, checking on a prescribed set of nooks and crannies, in order, over and over. Along her route, she always stops by the coop, runs along the side of it and then tries to startle the chickens with a quick dash at the fence. They don’t seem too bothered by her anymore, but she is determined to try to get a reaction out of them.

But now she has found a new way to keep an eye on them. For a while, we weren’t letting Pearl up the stairs. She hasn’t been much of a chewer, but the amount of detritus that is regularly on the floor of the girls’ room is just way too tempting, so we’ve kept Pearl out. Recently the girls did actually clean their room, and Pearl found a whole new world to discover and, more important, a new chair. She loves to look out windows, and she quickly found that she could see across the backyard from the upstairs window. It took her a little while to realize it, but she can also see the chickens. Since discovering this fresh perspective, we are constantly finding Pearl upstairs monitoring the fowl from above. At least from up there she isn’t constantly startling them. She thinks she has found a whole new world.

When she isn’t watching the chickens from her new vantage point, you’ll find Pearl relaxing with us after a day of playing in the garden. We really did luck out with her. And now she’s looking at me from her office chair, telling me it’s time to wrap up my computer time. She’s ready to start another day of pets, plants, and poultry. Me too.

P.S. We are always looking for great people to join our team. Plant knowledge is a bonus, but not required. What is important is that you love talking to people and want to help spread Kerby’s values of success, beauty, honesty, happiness, and fun. Click here to learn more.

P.P.S. Keep an eye out for details about an upcoming Plants and Pooches event in August. During the dog days of summer, we’ll have a Saturday where you can bring your pets to the nursery, and we’ll have some refreshment stations for them as well as learning stations for you about which plants are pet-friendly, both indoors and outdoors. We’re hoping it will be lots of fun for you and your furry friends.