As of today, Miss Vana Banana has been staying at the dollhouse for two whole weeks. It seems like she’s more or less been here a decade, since she fits in so well. Before you start firing emails my way to tease me about keeping her, please remind yourself she is a foster dog–as in temporary houseguest–through Second Chance Animal Rescue Society. We love her, but we’re waiting for someone else who loves her to take her home permanently.

Vana was one of two dogs featured on Global Morning News this past weekend. Global graciously offers SCARS regular television slots, which allows us to showcase our wonderful adoptable dogs and helps find great homes quickly for deserving pooches. If you want to see Vana in action, click here to view her segment. Big thanks to Global Edmonton for contributing air time to SCARS’ cause of saving lives; it makes a significant difference.

Around home, Vana continues to be awesome. I’d love to announce that she’s currently one hundred percent in the house breaking department, but I’m certain if I share those sorts of details I’ll curse myself and wake up to a sea of diarrhea. Trust me: it happens around here from time to time. Instead, let’s talk about the one downside to this fantastic little mutt: Vana is a hoarder.

I’m not sure if it’s because she lived a life less pampered before coming to us, or if she just takes more after the ant than the grasshopper, but Miss Vana tends to hide her food and goodies for later on. So far, I’ve uncovered partially gnawed rawhides behind most of my furniture, tucked into corners, and buried in the dirty laundry. In a seriously stealthy and verbotten move, Vana also “buried” a chewy under all seven pillows (four regular, two shams, and a decorative throw featuring a peacock) on our basement spare room bed. Dogs are never allowed on the furniture around here, so I’m not sure when Vana managed to sneak it up there, hide it on the fitted sheet, and replace all the pillows exactly as she found them, but she’s obviously a wily little creature. This morning, she even tried to hide her food dish, complete with kibble, in the hall closet. I heard something scraping and poked my head out of the bathroom to find her pushing the bowl into the closet with her snout. When I asked her what she was doing, she gave me an innocent “who, me?” look and pretended to be admiring herself in the mirror.

Vana likes to hide all the things she enjoys, probably because Sherman doesn’t like to leave delicious things to chance and prefers to just devour them as soon as possible. Most of the time, Vana also likes to tuck herself under the basement coffee table for safe-keeping: Sherman is far too big to get at her or whatever she’s hoarding under there. Never mind that the table is glass and open wire; the girl seems to figure she’s invisible in her “fort.”

Here we are, week two of life with Vana complete. Except for the constant game of hide and hide, she has been our least needy foster so far. We love her and can’t wait to meet the family she will live with for the rest of her doggy days.

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