This Side of the Pond

This is not the most wonderful time of year after all, but only if you’re a small dog with anxiety issues. When everything from paper plates to the opening of a can of tomatoes turns you into a quivering mess, it’s no wonder that the surprises of Christmas can sometimes be too much.

The small dog in question is, of course, my beloved rescue pup. Midge, who has starred in more than one column already this year because she’s a source of constant entertainment, spent the first few months of her life living alone. The lesson she took from this experience was that it’s always best to bar...