Blood Curdling Scream

That would be little Miss Ellie doing the screaming. 

We've been home almost a week from our Michigan trip, but our black lab, Sam only returned home tonight.  He spent the first week of our trip here with Barry since he didn't join us until the second week.  Then Sam went to stay with Barry's brother and his family.  Sam and their dog, KC love to play so it works out good.  They live about three hours from us, so instead of making a 6 hour round trip drive to get him we just waited until Barry's parents were going to be in their town to pick him up.  Barry's dad brought him to us tonight. 

Ellie was just waking up from her evening nap when Sam returned.  She has always loved him and he has loved her too.  I went into her room and got her to bring her into the living room.  Sam was across the room sitting down and she took one look at him and started screaming.  It was like nothing I'd ever heard before.  I started talking to her calmly and left the room with her.  I went into her room and Sam followed us in a couple minutes later.  Same thing...screaming!  It was awful. 

I tried calming her down and letting her see it was Sam, but since it's been three weeks and she's grown so much in those three weeks I doubt she remembers him.  I left him in the living room and took Ellie into the kitchen to feed her, he walked in there a bit later and she started shaking and crying.  We decided to put Sam in another room and shut the door until after Ellie was in bed.

She was quite whimpery through her bath and bedtime routine.  It's not like she hasn't been around dogs in the three weeks we have been away from Sam.  My sister's dog is staying with my mom so Ellie saw Maggie every day.  She's not quite as big as Sam, but still a bigger dog.  She loved her.  She would smile and touch her every time Maggie walked up to her. 

I didn't want to force the issue tonight since she was already tired and it was late for her).  Tomorrow we'll try to slowly reintroduce these two.  I'm hoping we can get them to be fast friends again.  Sam seemed to not notice anything was wrong...so that's good.  He's just super tired from two weeks of playing with his friend!  He has been sleeping since we put Ellie to bed. I think that's where I'm headed too.  I need my sleep...tomorrow's a big day at our house...I turn 40!  eeek!