People are always chiding me for my preference for being picked up and held, as if there's something wrong with wanting to be close to the ones I love.
Well, today I met a guy named Murphy who feels the same way about his owner and is not shy about showing it.
After I sniffed him for a little while, he indicated that he wanted to be picked up.
His owner complied without embarrassment.
I love a dog who is not afraid to express his feelings.
Bruno and I were having a nice time playing.
Noticing that he is rather more sleek than me, I sought to normalize the situation by casually alluding to my epilepsy, and to the pheno barbitol that has caused me to gain weight.
I should have pulled out another excuse.
It turned out that Bruno too has epilepsy, and that he is also on pheno barbitol.
Obviously he has an exceptional metabolism.
Coco, a neighbor of mine, is prominently featured in a new Batman film that won Best of the Fest at the Fifth Annual Santa Monica Teen Film Festival.
A new, deep-voiced dog has joined the Nancy - Suse - Griffin - Sparkly - Bella menage. His name is Giggles, which is short for Something Something Gigglesworth.
Giggles came by last week to pay me a courtesy visit. I do appreciate dogs who know their etiquette.
As we visited on the porch, I had an opportunity to surreptitiously observe him, and noted that he has an unusual physique marked by a very long body proportionate to his stature.
You would not think that this was a dog for whom mutual sniffing would ever be an option.
But you would be wrong.
I was out and about when I spied a departing rabbit.
I stood there wishing it would come back.
The rabbit had been practically under my nose.
It's so frustrating when you miss the low-hanging fruit.
I went home and hung my head, reflecting on the difficulties of the hunt.
Then I heard someone at the door.
It was my friend Shayan.
Shayan was dismayed to see me so upset. He remonstrated with me to get a grip and remember the many good things in my life.
Slowly, I emerged from my funk.
Sometimes it takes a good friend to put things in perspective.
Winnie and Ollie sent this photo from Colorado where they are enjoying their annual vacation.
They've been going on hikes every day and are clearly getting into great shape. (Trudie stayed home in a board and care facility, since exercise is no longer her thing.)
These dogs are poster children for the healthful properties of mountain air, meadow romps, forest tromps, and so on.
Maybe I'll take a hike today too. A short one. Got to build up slowly.
Five people, five dogs, three cars:
Three people, four dogs, one car:
Four people, six dogs, four cars:
I try to keep it in check, but every now and then the shopaholic in me is compelled to cut loose.
It was late in a hitherto uneventful afternoon.
A shrill sound split the air at a pitch audible only to dogs and to humans age 24 and younger.
Suddenly, computer and TV monitors were swarmed by images of scary men in threatening poses.
The world placed its hopes in the only individual who could combat evil of this magnitude.
Wearing his lucky ID tag, he set out to vanquish the enemies unknown.
I was enjoying myself on a walk the other day, when I heard some commotion over at Willy's house. I ran across the street to see what was up.
My friend was not looking his finest.
It transpired that he had found a very interesting smell to pursue, at significant cost to his good grooming.
He invited to check into the scene myself, so I did. But frankly it was a bit too raw for me --not my sort of vibe.
So, while Willy returned to his labors, I visited with Kim. It occurred to me that she might give me one of her famously delicious dog treats.
She did.
