Cold nose, warm heart
Mood:  special
I have a cold. in my nose.
BUT I am having a happy Valentine's Day because my very clever lover Jeff remembered overhearing me lament how I thought those big heart shaped boxes of candy were in a way very disappointing if you- like me- don't like weird chocolates that might- with no warning whatsoever- have a huge almond, or coconut or caramel in them. No Forrest Gump, I. I said that'd be nicer if they were full of candy you actually liked, all of them! So he bought a heart box of chocolates, and removed all the weird ones and replaced them with mini size 3 Musketeers bars in the little crinkle paper cups. Delight!

Rei and I snowshoed today again. The snow has compacted a little, so it is more like a dry sugar than flour. The sun is shining brightly again, and temps are rising so soon the snow will become firmer. The first dog we met was a rambunctious golden retriever we didnt know. We soon understood that her name was Lacey, because her owner kept calling her to come and she completely ignored her. Com. Plete. Ly. Lacey ran up behind us and crouched and wiggled and popped and squirmed like she would explode. She circled me and jumped up on me. Rei growled at her for grovelling all around me and jumping. If Lacey moved away from me to expend some of her extra bliss in a snowbank, Rei truned back to walk on the trail. But with Rei on track, and her owner still calling, Lacey just came back over to me bursting with joy and rolling on the tails of my snowshoes. Rei growled at her and escorted her away again. If we began to walk, Lacey returned. The best thing to do when a dog is mor einterested in you than her owner is to become very boring. We stood still and Lacey eventually walked back to her mother, who sensibly leashed her so we could continue.

We met a husky named Kylie, on a very long leash, who played with Rei briefly. Her owner guessed that Rei was a mastiff mix. She told her dog, "No crazy running, now!" and leashed up to go. I think Kylie would stand to burn off some energy with Crazy Running and playing with Rei, but to each their own- Kylie needs to be good at returning to her owner in order to be allowed Crazy Running.

I thought about a second dog as we walked along. It is easy to imagine a second dog at the field. It is less easy to imagine a second dog in the car driving to Pennsylvania with the family and all our luggage. It is not easy to imagine a second dog on leash at PetSmart. Why think about a second dog at all? Haven't I been saying that Reilly is great, and I enjoy our bond very much- just me and Rei? That she gets lots of social time with other dogs every day at the field so as to make a full time dog pal unnecessary? Didnt I scratch off 2nd Dog after Kaylee Ann did not work out? Did not Anita, Sophie's mom, just ask me yesterday morning if I had abandoned the idea of 2 dogs- and what did I say? I said well, its there in the back of my mind but I am not actively DOING anything about it. I am happy enough as we are and can wait until the Dog Hand on the clock comes around again.

Laura is volunteering at the dog shelter in Pennsylvania and noticed a particular one out of the 70 dogs that live there who stands out. She says that most of the dogs are either obnoxious, rude and jumpy or shy and fearful, but that this fellow is neither- he is lovey and affectionate. Don't get me wrong, she says, he is large and energetic and does not get enough exercise in his pen and is completely untrained. "sit? what?" But she sees that he has the potential with stability and training to become a good pet dog, wheras most of the other dogs have much more serious behavior issues. He is brindle and white, leggy and about 65lbs., less than a year old, picked up as a stray wandering with an older female whom he is penned with. She nips his ears when he annoys her with his energy. He has a wire coat and a brindley tail with a little white tip. Laura feels he may be a good candidate for a second dog for us. Or maybe more accurately that WE might be a good candidate for a home for him. He reminds her of Reilly, and she thinks I ought to meet him and consider him as a second dog. She may foster him to see better what he is really like- around cats, in a house. She may bring him up to meet Reilly.

I am not actively looking for a second dog, but I'd give consideration to the right dog. Male, not bossy. Someone Reilly can meet before we decide. Someone who doesn't eat cats.

But Reilly is very good and trustable. She doesn't eat the books off the shelves, doesn't bother the cats, is gentle, comes when called most of the time, is clean in the house, and doesn't even shed very much. I can trust her loose at the field or on a hike. We have it pretty good.

But this dog does not have it very good, and he is still helpable. People adopt little fuzzy puppies and not so much large dogs. As we have seen, many not-so-doggish people equate brindle color with dogs in the news that bite. Of the 7 pups in Reilly's litter, she was the only brindle and the only one left when I got there. I happen to like large brindle dogs, and I like to think I train em up right to reward their gentle cooperative qualities. Maybe Rei and I can help this guy- she would have to train him too, leading by example. I am sure that my human family would need some convincing.

But it reminds me of the books I have read lately, of people who have very rewarding relationships with more than one dog. Rei will not be diminished. Its easy to find cute puppies with sad stories on Petfinder any day you can name. The situation reminds me of the parable of the guy on the beach, hucking stranded starfish back into the sea. Someone comes up and says, Dude, there's like a million starfish on this beach, you can't save them all, what'll it matter if you throw a couple back?

Matters to that one, he says.

Day After the Snowstorm
Mood:  cool
Topic: the field
Yesterday we had a foot plus of snow- it's the texture of all purpose flour and a delight to shovel - if you must- and to snowshoe in. Rei and I went to the field under this glorious blue sky and went across the windy corn part and into the forest. When we came out of the forest, the wind had left for other pastures and we were soon met by Neil on his snowshoes with his dog Casey, we agreed what a great day it was to be snowshoeing and how much better we like snowshoeing vs x-c skiing. The dogs played and wrestled in the deep drifts and their wet manes became icy and spikey from all the roughhousing in the snow. One set of tracks was there before us, but we met no other people or dogs, and hiked up the hill and around. it was very pleasant to walk with someone feeling as much joy as Neil seemed to be- he is a teacher and his school is having a snow day today. He let me try his trekking poles that I can't seem to decide if I should want or not- they are helpful going uphill, but I enjoy the freedom of just walking, arms swinging. Dog-patting, cookie getting, camera fishing, need a tissue kind of arms. This snow, while it did snow my team out of the second half of a hockey tournament, is the best snow of the winter so far.

Dogue-a-Dye-Day
Today Rei is a Great Dane mix again (second day in a row, two different strangers). Laura says, "well...she IS pretty Great!" It's amazing how the same dog can be so obviously a great dane, a pit bull, a ridgeback, a greyhound, and a mastiff to different people. Her trainer as a puppy said she looks like "a terrier" but that's more easily believed when pups are young and small, less so when they grow to 72 lbs?

We visited mom at the bank. Usually Rei stands up at the window with her paws on the counter and tellers pass her biscuits. Most customers are delighted to see a calm dog making a withdrawal from her biscuit account. Some ask to pet her, and I'm proud to say that she stands still and gently wags her tail. As a puppy she would sometimes be afraid of men, but she seems to be over that. When the biscuits are no longer forthcoming, she lies down on the rug and rests, all stretched out like she lives there. The adults drone on about boring non-cookie things. Reilly knows where the door to the tellers is, and sometimes she goes right to that door and waits to be buzzed in. Once 'in the back' she knows where the cookies are kept and will do her sits and downs. I kindof wonder if anyone reviews the security camera videos of bank tellers tossing animal crackers for a large dog to jump and catch ?

So I have got my town paper's attention for my recent creative luck- a goalie wearing bears drawn by me on his helmet has led a recent hot streak by the Boston Bruins- and the editor has asked me for a photo of myself for the story. I am a modest girl and dont see a lot of point in having photos of myself around, so I'll have to compose one and have Jeff take it. Last issue they had a photo of another of Grafton's proud daughters - one of my sister's classmates- who is currently in Torino as a member of the US bobsled team. She is dressed in her bobsled tights and stands kindof in the Warrior yoga posture, holds her helmet on her hip and looks off to the left as a fierce wind blows her hair about to the right. Very Wonder Woman, I say. It's fun to think of how I might make my photo... :D

I have been reflecting a lot on achievement and luck and skill and odds and timing and such. I have been recalling the diversity of projects I have been involved in, and the very strange and interesting people I have met through my freelancing. I don't make much money but there seems to be a trade off of richness in other areas. I am having a Paul Gaughin moment- "Where did I come from? Where am I going?" Or maybe it's more accurately a David Byrne moment, "You may say to yourself: Well? How did I get here?"

A growly sigh...my dogue is bored now. She is bored with me working so much. So much sitting still...

Sign of spring
Mood:  lucky
Two days ago Jeff noticed our snowdrops are up. These are little white flowers on about 4 inch stems. We had a very mild January, some guys found ticks on the dogs and Frontlined them, but its back to below freezing now. I don;t know if this means doom for the snowdrops. Since this was once Mom's house, I asked her if this was early for snowdrops- and it is. Usually mid march, not mid february. Crocuses are early flowers, but not as early as snowdrops. Crocuses mean spring is actually here, snowdrops mean it is thinking about being spring sometime soon.

Yesterday we found a deer's spine/ribcage combo- no head, legs- in the woods. Rei looked at it and sniffed it but did not try to taste it, which is nice. Other animals had broken off some ribs or parts of them anyway- coyotes or other dogs I suppose. It didnt take a lot of fuss to keep Rei moving.

Tom at the field today told me that you should only give the dogs cooked bones to be safe, plus there is always danger of them breaking and splintering, which I would have disbelieved except that a couple weeks ago Rei cracked a shinbone very quickly into many shards. So today I washed all the nylabones and rubbed a little dog toothpaste into the rough ends for her.

Dem Bones, Dem Raw Bones
Mood:  spacey
So I did a stupid thing last night. (wonder how many blogs have that sentence in them...) I was at the grocery store choosing meat for dinner when another customer parallel parked his cart nearby and hailed the butcher. "Yeah, could I get some marrow bones?" and the butcher brought out two white leg bones and cut them in half for the guy- he put them on foam trays, shrink wrapped them and put a meat dept sticker on them. I asked the guy if those were for his dog.

Yes, he said, I have a Westie and an English Springer and these keep them busy for hours.

So, you can just ASK the butcher for bones for your dog? (I am SUCH a Yankee..)

Sure.

and do you have to cook them?

Well, I do, because its easier.

These are Outside Bones, aren't they? I asked envisioning Reilly having the time of her life chewing up a bone and leaving a sluglike trail of bone goo in my house.

Oh, yes!

The butcher came through the swinging doors wheeling a tower of meat trays- "Why I have a big old lab and I just give 'em to him like that."

The customer offered me one of the packs of bones. I thought OK, Rei would like this, and I have always been a bit suspicious of the brown crumbly stuff on the store bones. Caramel color, maltodextrin or whatever....here were fresh natural bones right from the freezer. No added anything. I thought of all the yucky things dogs chew, and all the nasty cow bones our old dog Fred used to bring out of the woods. This seemed a healthier, natural thing. We went home and I gave my grateful pooch a 5 inch tube of bone and marrow with a little bit of yucky tendon attached- yes, you go outside and enjoy your Yucky Bone!

She chomped and chewed and gnawed for about an hour and a half. It got dark, Jeff came home, and she came inside. I took the bone- even yuckier now becasue it had bits of grass and soil on it- rised it off, wrapped it in a plastic grocery bag and tucked in discreetly in the fridge. Rather hygenically, I thought.

Rei walked around the kitchen for a minute or two and began to stagger a little, she dropped her butt down and seemed weak. She looked miserable and went by the door and sat very glum. This being very unlike my dog, who either stands or lays down, (she thinks sitting is a "trick" and only does it for treats) I took her out on leash. She immediately squatted and crept weakly around the back yard, looking for someplace comfy- I allowed her a long lead to see what she wanted to do, and to my distress she circled next to the brush pile and nudged her head under the sticks. She crawled under the brush and lay down. In the cold dark night. I sat beside her. Obviously sick, did she think she was going to die?

I petted her head and mane and I thought about how she doesn't actually like to be petted, that it probably gave her no comfort and possibly annoyed her. I thought about how dogs in pain can bite if they are frightened or annoyed. She did neither. She was very sick and weak and weary. I sat with her and felt sad and stupid for giving her a raw bone. I could not believe that a bone could make her sick this quickly. Why did I give it her? Betrayed by a would be treasured prize, I made my dog sick. I had no idea how sick- a little sick? She isnt even three years old yet, I thought, way to be a good dog mom.

I noticed then that she picked up her head and lifted her ears a little, looking over at Alan's house. I felt better, she was not SO miserable. I asked her to get up and she didnt so I resolved to carry her inside. When I put myhands under her belly she stood and walked inside with me. We lay some towels in the kitchen and I sat with her, I asked her to lay down on the towel and she did.

Our vet was still open till 8pm, so I called and the receptionist said that they had no appointments till 3pm tomorrow, but she'd ask a tech about what to look for. (short answer: Raw bones= bad due to salmonella, and unecessary to take the risk. Look for major ejection of contents, either end.) I thought about how quickly I get sick after eating suspect food. Maybe its not so odd for Rei to get sick so quickly. While I was on hold, Rei gave up the entire contents of her gastronomic day...and began to feel better! She puked one more time and was perky and playful. Kindof like No-Face in Spirited Away...except not angry.

I feel very lucky. (Not AS lucky as the time she pooped out a 2 inch sewing pin I did not know she ate- THAT could have been a disaster. One of Reilly's spaniel friends ate a rubber snake that his owner said never reappeared on the flip side. hmmm...) I tossed out the bones. I did not even feel like cooking the other one to try again. Lets just take a break and be happy with what we have. Probably cooking them is fine, and probably many of the bones the dogs ran around with when I was a child were well-picked apart by the time the dogs got them. Or maybe the dogs felt sick and took care of it themselves and I never noticed. I know some people feed their dogs a raw diet, so I can't say its awful and wrong and a bad idea, but its just not what Rei and I are going to do right now. She does very well on her dry dog food- she is fit and trim and her eyes are bright. Her coat is soft and shiny and she is strong and active. Ans as dogs go, she actually smells pretty neutral.

Chasmic Thing
Mood:  cool
Now Playing: b52s
Today I had to drop a paper off at Raye's class- she forgot her journal topic notes that she wrote, so in order to avoid any reason to have difficulty in her journal writing, Rei and I stopped to drop them off and decided to continue on to Sutton and walk at Purgatory Chasm today instead of the field. I figured we'd walk the perimeter loop and avoid the chasm itself since it was certainly all wet at the bottom and very likely icy in spots still- this being a deep shady gorge in Massachusetts in February and all.

We began all right and even though there was nobody else there, I imagined as we walked along that some park ranger would happen by on patrol and that his pleasure of seeing me with a baggie as a person who picks up after their dog would outweigh my technical foul of her being off-leash. But this did not happen. Purgatory Chasm is full of city kids bussed in for field trips in the summer, but in February it is as dead as its name implies.

At the far southern end of the Chasm, the loop path is intersected by the trail that comes out of the chasm floor. My intention was to jettison my baggie in the trash can there- sort of like discovering a shining gas lamppost in the middle of the forest- and continue on the perimeter path, but Rei went up the chasm path and looked back.

Well? Ya coming, or what?

So I said sure and followed her. It was very wet and she ranged ahead and would appear on top of a rock, over my head looking down at me- I'd say "Hey there, you big brave dog! Whatcha doing up there?" and she'd run back down the slopey side she came up and meet me on that side when I came around in my slow human way. She kept going in and seemed rather intent on the trail and somewhat nervous. I know she finds scrambling on difficult parts of the chasm scary, so I have not asked her to go this way in over a year. Sortof gave up on it, because Rei and I have a deal that I won't ask her to do scary things that aren't necessary.

When the path began to get tough, she proceeded, and realizing that she had willingly gone farther in the gorge than in the recent past, I gave her a small treat. Good girl- you are so brave! We continued and the scrambling got more tricky with holes between rocks or narrow spots. I think the ice in the chasm levelled some areas out and filled some otherwise scary holes between rocks.

Finally we got to a spot that Rei was afraid to go on. It was very close to the top end, and some of the stages we came up would be harder to go down if we turned back. I went ahead of her and called her along. I showed her how I went. She sniffed and looked at me longingly and put her ears back in concern. I want to go with you, but this is really scary for me. I showed her treats and gently, calmly encouraged her if she lowered her head and looked for a foothold. She wanted to come but was afraid. I went back and put my body over the hole that was closest to her and stroked her mane. We talked. Thinking she might be emboldened by the control of a leash-walk style situation, I put on her leash. She looked at the rocks but did not go. It seemed like we had been sitting there a while, so I gave her a tug. She pulled back in fright and I pulled back and then I said to myself- "Hey!- this isn't our deal. We don't DO this, remember?" and I let the leash slack. It was more frightening, and more dangerous to get into leash tugging and it did not build trust, it was bossy and created fear and mistrust. I apologized and told her to wait, I gave her a cookie.

Luckily dogs are good forgivers, and in a few minutes I was able to coax her across that scary place and I praised and cookied her. She trotted ahead to the next area, and paused for a drink. I led her across some ice - no leash- and we had to climb another jumble of boulders that seemed very frightening to her. It reminded me about how running up and down the stairs at home is fine on two legs but if I went down the stairs hands-first on 4 legs when I was a child it is quite scary to have your face pointing down like that.

Rei whined and would not go the way I had come. This way was more tricky than the last sticky place, so Rei chose to try a higher route up the chasm wall. I went back to where she was and cookied her, and we went up her new way together. It was very high and I might have been able to climb even a little farther using roots and got over the lip of the chasm to the top side, but that seemed a bit insane for a large non-primate. I could see the car from here. I showed Rei the car.

I regretted permitting the route choice. She had to come over the top of a triangle rock to a flat place on the other side. I stood there and would hold her from going too far down onto the soil- it was like a step. I remembered that she had done this twice before as a puppy and as a younger dog. I considered that it might have been bad leadership to put her in this position, to ask her do something so scary, and when the answer could not safely be NO.

Then I thought, well... leadership happens when leadership is required, and she needs to trust me right now that even if something is scary that I will not let her get hurt. She put her paws on the top of the rock, I gave her two small treats. Good girl, you can do it, Rei!

I asked her to come on over and I placed my body in front of the scenery so all she could see was me and the landing spot. A small space. She came all the way over and I held her up so her momentum (she is a long-legged 72- lb dog) would not carry her too far down the other side. I treated her again and turned to show her the way down to the next landing. She followed and I gave her several cookies and told her what a brave, and safe dog she is. She led me out the rest of the way and then we fooled around on level areas for a while so she could forget the scary part. We went to the car, had cookies and a quick stop at petsmart for a special new bone and home.

Another shopper visited Reilly and told me her body shape was like a great dane. I admitted that she did have big feet as well. She said her neighbor's dog was also brindle, but that it was a ....hmmm....not a bulldog...what are they called? a pitbull! I told her I am often asked if Rei is a pitbull and she scoffed. No! They are much shorter and wider. She said her neighbor's dog was the sweetest thing. I said I figured Reilly is very well mixed and I love her because she is a Good dog.

I will not ask her to climb the chasm again, and I probably will call her away if she wants to go in there again. I think the far lower end is fun for her but I need to identify the point where we have to turn back before turning back becomes scary. the three times I have hiked the chasm with her we have always gone up it, never down, which is much scarier for humans as well. I don't think she really means to challenge herself in this way, and while I am glad she did the whole thing under her own steam and by her own will- no leash dragging, no carrying- and I am glad she trusted me despite her fear, I think a good leader chooses the route that wont scare anybody. or at least not beyond their ability to trust you again.

not unlike choosing movies for the family.

Thermometer
Mood:  cool
Topic: Ma Nature
It's a Thermometer Day- rain is misting and freezing, coating every tiny thing with ice on all sides. The field was crunchy and all the tufts of weeds gone by are coated in ice, like themometers with a thin tan mercury thread. My boots brush against the long grass and the ice shatters and kicks ahead of me like little beads and shards. Its damp and raw and dark. Rei hunts, and the mist forms droplets on her fur. We met McTavish and Duncan today, and the dogs ran around a little bit, but everything is crunchy for barefoot creatures and the mist gets soakey. It was a short hike today, now we are home. I am having hot mango tea in a well lit studio, dry and warm whiel Rei curls in her dog bed. She did not get a lot of exercise, so we'll have to play rough later- catch, tug, pouncing on the big ball. But first I'll get some music going and do a bit of work.

Happy Year of The Dog!
Mood:  party time!

In the circle there is my Reilly drawing painted on the backplate of my goalie mask. But today it makes a good banner for Lunar New Year!

Happy Day all you Dogs! I will not write too much today because I know I am a "Boar."

Boars: "You are a splendid companion, an intellectual with a very strong need to set difficult goals and carry them out. You are sincere, tolerant, and honest but by expecting the same from others, you are incredibly naiive."

Naiive? - Oh, well! :) at least I am a splendid companion! My dear sister is a Snake, and at least according to restaurant placemats, we are opposites and should avoid each other...sorry, Laura! ;)

Jeff is a Dog: "The Dog will never let you down. Born under this sign you are honest, and faithful to those you love. You are plagued by constant worry, a sharp tongue, and a tendency to be a fault finder, however. You would make an excellent businessman, activist, teacher, or secret agent."

hmmm...Jeff a secret agent? What do you think, Reilly?

Who you callin a CUR?
Now Playing: Jesse's Girl?
Topic: kinds of dogues
How about a Mountain Cur? That's what Kaylee Ann's mother said when she saw photos of Reilly... I googled mountain curs and they do look like Reilly- those with tails anyway. Before we get all excited about the term 'cur' - let it be known that cur people are put off that it is used in a derogatory way, like 'mongrel' and 'mutt', and instead they see it as a type. (This is not unlike the way the general public tosses the term 'pitbull' around, which - much to Bully Breed people's understandable frustation- is unfortunately code these days for "unpredictably violent dog that will eat my dog or my child at any second" - which is why I get bent out of shape when people ask me if Rei "has pit in her." They are not asking if she has American Staffordshire Terrier or APBT behind her. She may or may not, but it wouldn't matter either way because the answer to what they are really asking is "no, this large stripey dog doesn't bite." Its the wrong question, using the wrong words.)

Mountain Curs-- Basically a hound type, descended from well mixed dogs- indian dogs and some "brindles brought by explorers"- its rather vague, but then so is Reilly. Mountain Curs are Appalachian all-purpose dogs, "varmint hunters" to quote one site. Rei is certainly a varmint hunter: rodents, snakes but she'd grab squirrells and rabbits too if she could, but what dog wouldn't? Mcs have thicker coats than is typical with hounds- and Rei does. Significantly, they are commonly brindle- and they are a hound with small high-set ears. Take a spin through the hound group- they are all quite long in the ears.

At any rate, these dogs seem to be of fairly well -mixed less-human-selected (more dog-and-environment-selected) lineage to a certain point. Why not include another mixed-up dog sharing MC traits? If it walks like a duck...

It seems that this breed- not recognized by the AKC- focuses on performance more than appearance, like many working class dogs. They also have a breeding association, and a written breed standrad, declaring champions of ther breed, logging lineages like the AKC would if they recognized them.

Would they want the AKC to recognize them? I was speaking to a border collie person once that lamented recognition because the dogs had previously bred by selecting for intelligence and work-performance traits, not caring about appearance, and that recognition can ruin a breed by controlling it too rigidly or by selecting for appearance over less obvious, but actually more critical traits.

Beagles show in 13 inch and 15 inch versions. Thats two inches. It seems rather contrived to me, AND even more so because beagles used to be even smaller- pocket dogs. I dont know if their field titles are also separated that way. I coudl seek otu more education onthe matter of showing dogs, but I suppose in the end I am willing to just take it as it is.

Are breeds sometimes in development? Dan, Dan, Harmonica Man will tell you about how miniature schnauzers are schauzers bred with terriers, and are not actually smaller versions of the giant schnauzer. At some point was it frowned upon to cross these dogs?

Will we someday see Labradoodles get recognition? If breeds are to create dogs to suit a specific job- whether it be warming your toes, guarding your stuff, or holding a bear while you run up with a spear- and if dogs suffer from not having jobs in this day in this country, then maybe breeding for such modern convenience traits as less-allergenic, less shedding and more lovey-dovey is what our time is calling for? Most dog owners don't hunt with dogs anymore, we just like the way they look or their temperament. Big sporting breeds with toy dog jobs.

Many of us like biggish dogs, because they more on our own scale. more a pal to josh with than a baby to dote on. We know they need lots of exercise and lots of room, so exercising the dog becomes a specific event. I like exercising my dog- its not just xercising Rei, it exercising both of us, and getting fresh air and taking time to reflect and observe. If I had a Pekingese, I'd want him to go hiking too, but I guess one has to be alert to overexerting the toy dogs. So you join up with a dog that suits you, hopefully. I don't think there are any large toy dogs, but if there were, it might suit the current lives of many people better. It is more wrong to specifically breed a big dog with toy dog traits and needs or is it more wrong to have big sporting-type dogs suffer from unemployment and the consequences that their pent-up behavior results in for them? Midnight being chained in the yard, chewing on the porch, wild on the leash and not getting what he needs, being blamed for his behavior and eventually, possibly rehomed or euthanized. A large toy dog in theory at least might not "misbehave" enough to get himself kicked out of a family that can't/doesn't properly provide for a big athletic pup's needs.

What about gentle giant dogs such as mastiffs? They are not field dogs, they are stay at home dogs on Buddy-Scale, not baby-scale. I think a lot of people are intimidated by such huge dogs though. A giant Pug- Pugzilla!- I do not know mastiffs well enough to say if they actually provide the clown factor of small dogs in sufficient quantity. I suspect a manor-guarding dog would not be too goofy and still keep his aura of guarding.

I don't know, just thinking...

Veterinary Revisited
Now Playing: No Reply
Topic: Cats
Rei and I met our veterinarian neighbor while out for a walk today, and I told her about my experience with Loki and her bladder sludge problem, specifically about my dissatisfaction that it took hundreds of dollars worth of testing to discover she needed a different catfood. Donna pointed out that its fortunate that her problem was not as serious as the expenditure, and that clients should not be dissatisfied that their cats don't have a more proportionally serious problem just because the diagnosis cost so much. This is true, I admit- I was really afraid the diagnosis would point to diabetes for Loki, and I am very glad it wasn't. She said that simply trying the cat food would not have been a proper choice upon discovery of crystals in the u/a, due to Loki's age- that it would be neglectful of the vets to not rule out kidney issues, diabetes and liver function in cats her age (12) presented with these symptoms. So I retract my dissatisfaction with her vet. I continued that Finn had had urinary crystals as a kitten and not since- that I was keeping him on regular cat food and not sharing Loki's food primarily because her new food is expensive. She explained that when Finn was a kitten, commercial cat foods were composed such that cats tended to have struvite crystals. In response to that, all the cat foods adjusted their ash and magnesium content to create a pH that would dissolve those crystals. Then vets began to see these other crystals that begin with o- which is what Loki has accumulated- due to everybody having such a high pH in their system to prevent struvite crystals, this new pH was conducive to the formation of O-crystals. due to this, Donna said it would not be a good idea to let Finn eat Loki's food. Essentially, it was not the testing that was wrong at the vets, but it was the ability to explain this to me logically that was lacking. Either way, I am glad that both my old cats are healthy.