Little Liza Jane

Liza is a dog who knows how to pacify herself: a stuffed elephant or a sandal, a bit of someone's shirt or a sock -- anything she hold in her mouth calms her.

Today, she apparently went missing from her owner and her brother (whose russet paws are visible at the edge of this photograph). While they were on a walk, she disappeared into woods for a good 10 minutes or so. When she found her family and they walked home, she was exhausted. By the time I came to visit, she was lying down, holding her sock in her mouth for comfort.

Little Liza Jane is a sweet and clever dog. She knows what humans know: under stress, a little oral sedative can be a good thing.