I think making your expectations clear about the Dogs would be a perfectly ok exception to the overall "not initiating" strategy.
Your understanding is that you two agreed the dogs should stay together, and you interpret that as meaning the dogs will be staying at the house, and if she feels differently that is something you two will need to discuss.
Doesn't need to come across as mean or punitive; given the situation, I would set that boundary ahead of time.
thanks, I'll have a talk with her this week about it. I bet after that talk, she brings up D. Any takers??
