Everybody Loves Maisie

For the last few weeks we have had a house guest - the landlord's Neverending Story dog, Maisie. She has the most incredible, expressive eyes, and uses them to full advantage. Despite being on a strict diet, she has managed to eat the equivalent of a cow in the last 24 hours.

Not that we overfeed her, it's the thieving that adds up - a cupboard silently opened and a bag of dog food demolished, a quick clean up of what remains of our dog's dinner and a hearty helping of cat food as well as the odd table scrap weaned out of you with those mooching eyes.

Maisie is also an incredible escape artist and does this on a regular basis. That's why she is staying with us while they are away. The routine so far has been that she stays in with us at night and goes back to her yard during the day. All was working fine - the Houdini acts had stopped - she was waiting at the gate every night at 5 o'clock, ready for her sleep over.

Then things changed.

We would take her home in the morning and a few minutes later she would appear at the front window, looking in with those eyes of hers. A quick check of the perimeter of the yard failed to reveal where she was making her escape. Resigned, we let her back in and now she refuses to budge. Maisie seems to have moved in on a permanent basis.

All in all, I think she has gained about 200 pounds. Her masters are due back on Tuesday and I can see it now - Maisie waddling home like the proverbial fatted calf. They shouldn't need to feed her for a month.

That's if they can keep her there....