Martha loves her chow, but does she love her peeps even more?

This goofy little munchkin is Martha, a 13-year-old pit bull and Lab mix. Marttha has always had what might be described as a very enthusiastic relationship with food, racing into the kitchen at mealtime and devouring her kibble with speed and gusto.

That’s still the case. But lately, she’s added a new twist to her gustatory routine. In the past, Martha has dug into her chow without any preliminaries, as soon as I lowered her bowl to the floor. In recent weeks, though, she has paused before digging in, to look up at me with an open-mouthed smile. The grin disappears within seconds, but it’s an unmistakable expression of gratitude.

At breakfast this morning, there was yet another variation. Instead of a grin, Martha raised her head and kissed me smack-dab on the lips. Then she got right down to the business of demolishing her first meal of the day as quickly and completely as possible.

In the presence of such devotion, what’s not to love?