For the love of the dog

She once ate an entire stack of pancakes – at least six or seven – while I was taking my daughter to the school bus.

On Thanksgiving, several years ago, she ate the last piece of apple pie. I didn’t actually see her eat it but the dots were very connectable. She was the only one in the kitchen, the pie plate was empty, and there were pie crumbs all over her chin.

She liked to nibble the bottoms of...