Learning To Be The DOG

Sitting still for photographs is the most boring thing in the world, as Howie can plainly tell you.

He looked cute before I snapped the picture, catching him in a gaping yawn. Of course, he had his reasons for being less than interested in a photo-shoot: a PG&E man came to the door to do a routine checklist on our electric meter, and Howie was the one who had to bark madly at him. Howie even managed a deeper "big dog" bark along with his tenor "boo-woo-woo-woo." So he was the Tough Protector, and it wore him out.

The camera was out because I've been trying to catch a picture of Howie with his butt-hackles up to show fellow Piker Wendy what butt-hackles look like. The last time I tried to catch his puffy butt (he was after a stray cat trail in our yard) all I got was his tail as he growled past. Today, he was just too mellow after his resounding bellow at the meter man. Nothing I said could rile him up again.

So after his yawn, I told him he was a good boy, and got this pretty pose from him. He's such a cutie.

In addition to telling off the man at the door, Howie notified me when the washing machine unbalanced and began to thump, when my phone rang, when the kitchen timer went off, and when a catfight occurred in the yard next door. And when I turned off my computer this morning, he came diving into the studio -- having learned recently that when I am done with my machine, I'm likely to go do something with The Dog.