A Doggie Post

(Awww wook at those eyebrows!)

I haven't written about my doggie Snoot in a while. For a while there I was doing one Friday Doggie Blogging post a week. Lately though I have been short on time for writing about my family's guardian.

Here are a few shots of him this morning as he got distracted from his morning constitutions and decided to stalk kitties instead.






He has such beautiful form. He's equivalent to the Mercedes in engineering and perfection. I love to just sit and look at him sometimes.

My recent trip to New Orleans was hard on both of us. He has not been away from me for more than one night since I got him about this time last year. I worried about him. Missed him like crazy. The kids and dad would tell me on the phone that he was just moping about and being sad. I remarked numerous times to my fellow travelers that I wish I could have brought my dog with me. They missed their pooches too. It's amazing how attached we get to them and they to us. Saul nearly knocked me down when I walked in the door from the trip. It was pretty late at night and he would not be content with anything less than a half-hour cuddle-fest. After such a tragic end to the trip a healthy dose of good old-fashioned cuddling was exactly what I needed.

I continue to be blown away by his incredible intelligence. While I was gone he performed a trick. My husband had been bringing wooden reels home from work to use as starter wood in the fireplace. They had been treated with some nasty, sulfur-smelling stuff and stank horribly when lit. So dad decided to start soaking them in the bathtub. One day he and the kids heard a strange noise emanating from the bathroom area. They went back to check it out and found Saul, in the bathtub, picking up each reel and dropping it out of the tub and on to the floor. They said it wasn't play, he wasn't tossing them around or barking at them...he was simply on a mission to remove them from the bathtub. I couldn't tell you why. Perhaps he wanted a bath? He damn sure needs one.

Since I've been back from New Orleans I have noticed that something of a bond has finally formed between Saul and my husband. They time they had to spend in each others company while I was away seems to have eased the friction. Terry took him for long walks while I was gone. The walked the boundaries of the property and Saul peed every few feet. Terry said he now understands the value of a German Shepherd and Saul, in particular. They are an excellent burglar deterrent...better than a gun in some ways. You don't have to load one of these or fumble around for it while a stranger violates the sanctity of your home. No, a German Shepherd is already cocked, loaded and pointed at the door at the first sign of an intruder. They are fiercely protective of their family members, do not like strangers by nature, can pick up from you what needs to be done without you ever having to say a word. It's damn near like telepathy. Oh yeah, they are also deadly. They want to eat something up. It's what they are bred to do. Guard and protect. If I were a burglar or rapist or kidnapper and chose a home that had a German Shepherd I'd keep moving. Just don't even want to fuck with that.

I love to take him out in the woods behind the house and watch him trail a scent. We have a large herd of deer that come through here just about every day and he loves to sniff along their path. Something had been over the big rocks in the woods because yesterday he spent 10 minutes going over every inch. He'll lick things to get a better impression. Stick his nose way up in the air and turn his head and flare his nostrils. There is also a family of armadillo's that live here and he likes to walk behind them and just sort of nose them when he catches them out of their hole.

His instincts are so honed...it's like all I had to teach him is some basic manners (which he is still learning). He came already knowing the rest. Above all though, he is a great companion. I wouldn't take a zillion dollars for him.