Sadie, a.k.a. "The Deck Guard"

Our black rescue poodle, Sadie, which we affectionately refer to as "Sadie, Sadie, Shady Lady" is obsessed with my backyard deck.  We adopted her when she was five years old; her and all her baggage.  If dogs really do come with baggage, this dog would take the cake.  This dog came with problems.  No one was quite sure what her background was, apparently we were the fifth household that she had been placed into within the past two years.  Story is that a family had her as a puppy up to age 3 then turned her over to the humane society.  She escaped, was found months later and ended up in the shelter again.  She was adopted, ran away from her new home, found again and placed in a different shelter, and the same story repeats.  The papers that we received stated that she was approximately five years old and is a Portuguese Water Dog.  I am not sure about that, we thought she was a black standard poodle.  We don't know what she is, she doesn't know what she is either.  Present time, she is acting as my deck guard.  

   Three days ago, I found Sadie circling and sniffing the deck....nonstop deck sniffing.   We're talking about hours and hours of deck sniffing. I had to go outside and make her come inside, it was a freezing 27 degrees out and all she is sporting is her newly shaved poodle look.  I walked outside yesterday and I found her licking the deck.  Yes, Sadie, Sadie, Shady Lady was sniffing and licking my deck.  Now I am wondering, does she love my deck?  This dog is strange, maybe she is just fond of the deck.  Nope.  My daughter informed me today, she has advanced to biting my deck.  I have scratch marks, bite marks, and dog licks all over my deck.  Sadie, or as we now affectionately refer to as "Weirdo" is devoted to my deck.  Hopelessly devoted.  Perhaps she could guest star on TLC's new show, "My Strange Obsession."

Mr. B. says there is an animal hiding under our deck, that's why Sadie is obsessed with it.   I asked Mr. B. "But why is she licking the deck?" 
"Because she wants to eat it."
"She wants to eat my deck?!"
"No, she can smell the animal hiding under the deck and she likes the smell of the wild animal so much that she licks the deck to taste it."  Mr. B. seems to have animal behavior all figured out.  I have no idea how he knows this stuff.

Meanwhile, as you can see, Sadie is a very busy dog these days.  There's no dog napping going on here, no siree.  I gave her a job title, "The Dog Deck Guard."   Compensation--dog treats.

Whatever animal is hiding under my deck, it better leave soon, before Sadie gets wood splinters in her tongue.