Maggie the Mugger

It's a little after 11pm on Friday the 13th, and we have just discovered that our puppy is a felon. Yes, 19 week old Maggie committed the most heinous of all puppy criminal acts: she mugged a four year old. Nadja and I bought a pay-per-view movie "Babel" and as the credits were rolling, we awoke our three "daughters" from their naps to herd them outside one last time. Immediately after closing the door, they began barking fiercely at a man and his two little boys walking past the house. Shadow and Hannah came back in quickly, but Maggie, smarty that she is, has learned she can slide like Joe Mauer right under the fence. When she didn't return with the other two, I knew where she'd be found.
She was happily munching on a carrot that she'd mugged the four year old for. In his fear for his son, the man told him to give her the carrot so she wouldn't bite him. I was mortified! Anyone who has every met Maggie even in passing would know that she loves EVERYONE. She has never met someone she didn't immediately LOVE! The brother of the mugging victim walks past every day on his way to and from school, and tried to explain the sweet and loving nature of our girls to his brother and father. Alas, they wouldn't listen, and Maggie was rewarded for scaring the Holy Hell out of some dude and son with a carrot. How am I supposed to discipline that?!!? "Dad gets mad when I run out of the yard, but all his yelling can't compare to getting food and love from strangers!" I'm at a loss with my felon puppy. If she were human, she'd be on her way to jail right now, so at least there's the fact she's not to be happy about.
Along with tonight's adventure in criminality, she's committed, recently, the most common of all puppy crimes: shoe destruction. All I can say for this is that at least there weren't MY shoes...sorry sweetie. C'est la vie! She's Hannah's size now, so I have to constantly remind myself she's just a baby. This fact is sweetly driven home each afternoon as she curls up on my lap for her nap. I know you will all disagree, but I believe Maggie is one of the most loved puppies on this great blue planet. She has two sisters who love her very much, two 'parents' who dote on and adore her, and a huge, HUGE network of our loving friends and family. She is truly blessed to be giving us the blessing of her. We're very thankful for her, Hannah, and Shadow, along with the many, many other blessings we've had bestowed on us. I think she's thankful for us too. Except for this very moment, as she is again destroying one of Nadja's shoes and getting yelled at by mom. We still love you Maggie.