I’m living with my poodle friend Archy for a week while his mom is on vacation. Archy and I have been friends since he moved into the neighborhood a little over a year ago, and he’s always happy to see me, but he’s really, really attached to Leslie. If she’s around, he adores me and gets all jumpy and frolicksome, but if she’s not he isn’t so sure about things. Generally, if I’m the one who shows up at the door to take him for a walk, there’s some wagging when I open the crate, but then his tail droops and he follows me listlessly down the block.

Treats and toys can’t coax him out of it – he only eats treats if he’s already happy. It’s like he’s showing off. He sits on the floor facing you and wedges the carrot or the rawhide or the cookie or whatever between his paws and gnaws on it, looking up every now and then to be sure you’re watching. I worried that he’d be really depressed all week, but after a day and a half of gazing at the door and moping down the sidewalk, he suddenly settled in and got comfortable with me. He’s dashing down the block and then back at me, he’s eating his food, he’s prancing around and biting my clothes (it’s a thing; he likes to dance), and he’s playing with his toys.

This gruesome fellow is Archy’s favorite toy – he’s had Long Dog in several different colors (and a couple of holiday-specific variations), but pink Long Dog has lasted the longest. The green tape is to keep the stuffing in where he’s been punctured, but it’s appropriate that he wears it like a blindfold. It must be horrifying to be Long Dog, being squeezed and shaken all day long; still, he grins and bears it.

I’m enjoying the time away from my apartment. I only go home for a couple of hours a day to work – using my studio apartment like an actual studio. The rest of the time, I’m out on walks, going to the dog park, or watching movies and reading. It’s refreshing, and giving me a glimpse into the far-away future when I can keep a workspace separate from my home. I love the creative breathing room it’s giving me. And the cuddles aren’t bad, either.