Meeting the Collie Mix at the Cabin

The cabin came with a neighbor this trip: a six-month-old collie mix who is, somehow, already bigger than Lucy.

We met him on the gravel path between cabins, and Lucy clocked the size difference before she clocked anything else about him. There was no barking, no bluster — just a long, careful once-over, the kind she usually reserves for large dogs at the vet’s office. He, for his part, walked right up like they’d known each other for years, tail going, completely unbothered by the fact that he already outweighed her.

They ended up nose to nose for a solid ten seconds, neither one moving, both of them clearly doing math. Lucy’s math seemed to be some version of “he is a puppy and he is already this big,” which is, frankly, a fair thing to be concerned about.

First meeting report

• Size assessment: concerning, but not alarming
• Bark count: zero
• Tail status: cautiously still, then a slow wag once he sat down
• Verdict: acceptable, pending a rematch once he’s fully grown

By the end of the walk she’d relaxed enough to let him sniff her ear, which in Lucy terms is basically a hug. We’ll see how this goes once he’s stopped growing — which, by the look of those paws, might be a while yet.

More Lucy in your feed?

See Lucy's Favorite Things →