Buddy and the couple divide their time between their home in Olive Branch, Miss. and their condo in Gulf Shores, Ala. If Mike and Barbara take their boat out, Buddy goes too. If the weather is cool, Buddy goes along to the grocery store or to church where he quietly waits in the car.
Buddy believes that no stuffed animal should be. A toy's cotton innards and squeaker are scattered on the floor like someone plucked a chicken and took out its cluck. His favorite toy is the fake-fur skin of a formerly stuffed cow.
The lab knows how to count, at least to four because that's how many treats he gets each night after his walk. Not two treats and a third broken in half. Four. Buddy also knows when the couple goes out to eat; he will be dining on leftover french fries when they return.