SUZANNA - VALUED MEMBER OF THE RCMP

Suzanna, whose official name is Kenside Wallow of Sandringham, was a gift from Queen Elizabeth to the RCMP on June 8, 2009.  She was transferred to the RCMP "Depot" in November 2009 and is a valued member.  Of course I am talking about a dog, specifically a yellow Labrador Retriever and not a person.  I wrote about Suzanna in an earlier column (Should I Be Envious).

2009 Christmas Card from the Commanding Officer, employees and Suzanna of "Depot"

I had the honour of recently meeting Suzanna and the Commanding Officer (CO) through the assistance of an RCMP member.   Suzanna is a delight and a very well mannered dog.  Probably the best way to describe her is a sweet loving dog.  Suzanna is also quiet and laid back, very laid back.  She loves being petted.

During my visit with the CO, I learned that Suzanna was named after the Queen's favorite book - Susannah of the Mounties and there was a copy of the book in the CO's office.   Suzanna does get out of the office so she does not spend all of her time behind a desk.

Besides knowing the layout of the grounds of "Depot", she has done some travelling and has made a great impression during her official visits.

The question you may be asking is whether I am envious of this quiet and patient dog versus my boisterous, teenage temperament, sometimes stubborn, shoe loving, ball carrying retriever ?  Would I  miss the nudges to be entertained and played with after supper or the grab and snatch actions?  The answer is that you fall in love with all of your pets - the good habits and the habits that test your patience.  Eventually we all get older and slow down, so I need to enjoy the teenager and adult years of my dog while I can and be active with him.  It is good to play for as long as you can.

Resting on his lazy boy chair.