A Dog's Life

Is this the picture of relaxed or what?

This is my main man, my four-footed squeeze, Madison, reclining next to his stuffed duck, which he played with until he flopped over into this exhausted heap.

The other day I discovered a doggy friend of mine, L's Cozie, has the very same duck. L and I recently entertained one another squeaking our respective dogs' ducks over the phone. Actually, rather than squeaking, this toy makes a noise that I presume is supposed to be a duck call. It sounds more like a large dog fart. But anyway, Madison loves his duck, and Cozie loves his.

Same dog, different angle. Isn't he pretty? He needs a bath and a trim, but I haven't had the energy to get him to the groomer yet. Soon, baby, soon. Meantime, I've been brushing him with a gadget that looks like a looped curry comb. The fur flies-- into the air, into my mouth, into his water dish, onto whatever I'm wearing--why is it I always seem to take a notion to brush the dog while I'm wearing dark pants?

Madison has been worried about me the past several weeks. He managed to get his 90 pounds up onto my bed various times to check on me and has started sleeping on the floor at the foot of my bed or in the hall just outside my bedroom door instead of his regular bed on the couch. I realize he sensed that I wasn't feeling well. But now that I'm better he's still keeping close tabs on me. You never know what your human is going to get up to!

This is Madison looking forlorn because I wasn't throwing a toy for him to fetch. I was busy with the hose, washing and refilling his bowl, watering my rose bush, and filling the bird bath. He thinks when I'm in the yard I should spend 100% of my time throwing something for him to chase. When I'm not around he chases squirrels and chipmunks. So far he's never caught one. They're onto him and know just when to run when I let him out. The squirrels in particular like to tease him, running partway up a tree, then scolding him loudly. He barks his head off, of course, and I swear I can hear the squirrels laughing.

Yep, it's a dog's life.

Vennie