Lambiedog

From sea to shining sea

Happy Fourth of July!

 

    (In case the allusion is not clear, in the photo above I am straddling the continent: looking toward the Atlantic, with the Pacific behind me.  I am a dog who is big on symbolism.)

Attachment theory

       [Note to followers of my weight travails:  The dog pictured above is not me!] 

It is well known that I like to be carried and can become quite relaxed in this state.

    But I am not that unusual, at least within a select population.  Here's a little gallery of other fluffy white dogs who appreciate a close human connection:

       

There's just something very relaxing about close proximity to your owner.

Not everyone gets that. Sometimes people seeing me at ease with my head hanging down think that I am feeling ill.

But I'm not.  Just at ease.

 

Rest in peace Trudie

         Trudie died today, a week shy of her eighteenth birthday.  Her vet said he had never known a dog to live as long.  

To the left is a photo of her from ten years ago. From this photo and the undated family photo below, you can see that she kept up her good looks over the years. 

 

    Trudie was a cool character who did not easily show her emotions.  But she was a linchpin of her family: two young men whom she first met as little boys, and their parents, who were devoted to her and faithfully tended her through her final illness. 

    Trudie is also survived by the family's other dogs, Oliver and Winnie.

    Although Trudie was much older than Winnie and Ollie, she made a point of keeping up with them on their evening walks.

        We will miss her quiet presence at the bluff.  

Subjected to scandalous conditions

    The bluff these days is a war zone, filled with sharp prickly pieces of straw, foxtails, and burrs that get stuck in my paws and make walking painful.

Is it any wonder that as soon as I get there I seek shelter on a concrete bench pad?

    The place is an arid wasteland right now.  It's a disgrace that dogs are expected to congregate under such conditions.  I demand sod.  Or possibly personally-fitted booties.

Sparkly, ball chaser and lovely presence

       
        Sparkly, Suse's beloved dog, died yesterday after a long life.   She was a fixture at the bluffs for many years. Even when she was in pain from her arthritis, she still loved to chase balls.

    She will be greatly missed.

 

Shuttle diplomat

When I went out to the bluffs the other day I found a new dog,  Olive by name, as well as all the complications that crop up when a new individual is introduced into a tight social world.

  There was a lot of curiosity about Olive, especially from Oliver, who didn't want to share his name. 

I tried to get Olive off to the side, where I could speak to her privately and warn her to tread lightly with Oliver.

  

She got the gist of my message.  With my mediation assistance, the two of them spent some quality moments together and worked their issues through.

 

With that problem resolved, I left for my next assignment -- some delicate matters requiring my attention in Kosovo.

Although my departure was felt deeply, everyone understood that I was needed elsewhere.

 

 

 

Transformation

            I started yesterday morning out as a rugged St. Bernard herder.

  By the afternoon, after a hair appointment,  I had become a contemplative flower appreciator. 

            The medium is the message.

Comfort zone

        The level of activity at the bluffs this evening was just my style:  energetic, yet contained.

    Actually, when we first came outside there was no one there.

But, looking down to the other end of the bluff, I saw a contingent approaching.

    I took a moment to center myself.  Really, that's all I need.  As long as other dogs are respectful and not wild or scary, I can handle things. 

    And then I'm free to take on all the roles I enjoy: 

                  Sniffer,                                              Investigator,                                       Participant,        

         and general Dog About Town.

A more mellow moment

     

    After my heartbreak of not fitting in, I was glad to have a soothing get-together with Bruno. 

    Bruno is quiet and diminutive like me.  Actually, he's more diminutive.  And, whereas I look like a common well-fed lamb, Bruno has an exotic high-cheekboned look.

      In his bearing he reminds me of an aristocratic llama.  

 

      Being with Bruno is relaxing because we share the same sensibilities.  He is very attuned to his owner.  Which, obviously, is something I can relate to.

      

Always the bridesmaid

It was another pleasant evening out at the bluffs.  Many big dogs were present, as well as some smaller ones.

 I thought I was doing a pretty good job of interacting.

 

 But somehow these situations always get away from me.  Once again I ended up watching forlornly as the other dogs cavorted and played without me.