A canine-human language translator, so we’d know exactly what Sadie’s demanding of Paul.
It seems that I’m the parent, the one who gets both love and respect. Sadie’s a ladylike angel around me. Paul’s a whole other story; she frequently barks at him, very loudly, because she wants a dog treat, to be taken outdoors, to be patted and played with…her needs are endless. It would be so much simpler if Sadie could simply state her demands instead of barking.
(I think the dynamic is that I’m the only parent, and Paul’s the boyfriend. I feed Sadie, brush her, take her for long exercise walks, bring her to the vet…all that responsible stuff. She’s very grateful and loving to me. She has a massive crush on Paul, though, the guy who doles-out snacks and obeys her every wish.)