Dear Gavin,

Emmy here. Wall-E asked me to fill you in on this new dog, Zeke. Your Papa brought Zeke here to live with us today and let me tell you, so far it has been very unsettling!

Wall-E is just beside himself! Take a look at Gramma's computer ........... he is shedding all over it! Gramma says she will have to get the vacuum cleaner out again to take care of this shedding situation. It is very cold here, we are not supposed to shed our coats in winter.

Gramma says that Zeke is stressed, too and that we should be nice to him. Really, he hasn't been so very nice to me! He has stalked me all day and has managed to slime my whole body with his slobber. I am hoping that I will have a nice warm bath tonight before I go to bed. Gramma just changed the sheets on our bed, so we usually have our baths on the same day that she does this.

About those sheets ........ Gramma put them in a pile on the floor and I managed to hide from Zeke in them. I felt all safe and warm in the sheets that smelled like Gramma and Papa and Wall-E and Oscar and me. I don't recommend this hiding spot, though. I was almost put into the washing machine along with these sheets!! Good thing I am black and the sheets were white. Gramma saw me and took me out. Your dog Wall-E had a good laugh at my expense.

Zeke came complete with all of his toys and a kennel. Zeke would not stop getting on the couch. Gramma got the fly swatter and swatted him and told him "NO", but it did not seem to bother him at all. The rest of us know that when Gramma gets out the fly swatter that she has had enough and we had better behave. I say we, but I really mean Oscar and Wall-E. I rarely do things that annoy people. Really. I am almost perfect. My bad breath is the only negative thing about me. Ask anyone. But, back to the kennel. Papa put Zeke in his kennel so that he would stop jumping all over the furniture and Gramma. Gramma said she needed some peace.

Wall-E is watching that kennel to make sure Zeke does not escape as I sit here writing this letter to you. I must tell you that Wall-E is an exceptional watch dog. I rely on him a lot now that I am developing cataracts on my eyes. Oh, I can still see, but it looks a little fuzzy. Sometimes Wall-E and Oscar have to tell me what I am looking at. Gramma tells me that bloodhound have a fine sense of smell and that Zeke will soon be as protective of me as Oscar and Wall-E are. I am afraid he is going to step on me.

Wall-E was upset about the whole shedding thing, but I had to look close to even see his hair. Papa came inside and Gramma suggested that we let Zeke out of the kennel and take him outside for a bathroom break. Papa said he really didn't see the need, since Zeke pooped on the floor as soon as he brought him here. I thought Gramma would get really mad about that, but she said that Zeke was upset and disoriented and that she had expected it would happen. She did make Papa clean it up, though.

Oscar is handling this whole situation much better than Wall-E and I. He said that he would simply let Zeke know that he was in the boss. He has bitten Zeke a couple of times and Zeke backs away. Wall-E tried it, but his bark came out like a squeak. Maybe we should keep that part just between us, okay. I would like to take this opportunity to thank your mom for my steps! I use them all the time. Oscar still prefers jumping when Gramma is watching, but he uses them when he thinks no-one can see him.

Zeke went outside with Wall-E and Gramma was right, he did need to go out. He played with us a bit. Mainly he chased Wall-E in circles and tried to get under the coffee table! He conked his head and Gramma petted him and hugged him. Oscar and Wall-E did not like that. Wall-E is afraid that Gramma will love Zeke more than him. That is just silly, Gramma loves us all. Wall-E says that he feels bad because Zeke and Oscar and I are pedigreed and he is not. Pedigrees don't really matter all that much. I am not afraid of not being loved. I mean, just look at me, what's not to love!

Wall-E should be back to his old self soon and will write you with more updates on the new dog, Zeke. I know he is missing you today. He told me he wished his boy was here to hold him and keep him safe. Don't you worry, though, Gramma and Papa won't let anything happen to your dog!

Love, Emmy