Monday, October 29, 2007

Sir Fred


Sir Fred, faithful sword bearer! Most of you know I am a cat person, but there have been a few dogs that have found the path to my heart. This old fella is Sir Fred, noble sword bearer to Leo Paints for Less. Isn't he a doll? He is being weaned off of people food, but I do sneak him a piece of chicken now and then.

Ah, Sistah, you are asking the question, is it pre-chewed? No it is not. And he butt is being left pristine. And no, he's not living with me. But I do let him in the house. He is very well mannered. A bit clumsy, but well mannered. And I have not yet gone to stalking Sir Leo to make sure the sword bearer is being overfed, no breaking into his truck to feel the dog's rib bones, no kidnapping to take him to vet for anal gland cleansing. Ah, poor Fred, he is packed like a sausage. But his dog food regime is slimming him up some.

So, if the above seems cryptic to you, I can explain later. There is a dog lover in the family, actually a dog co-dependent. Not me. Not Sistah. Not Ya Think. I'll never tell. And I'll never tell it from the rooftops that I just love this dog, Sir Fred.

Amazing as well, the three cats, two of them rather temperamental or crazy whichever description you prefer, seem to sense the spirit of laid back Fred and they tolerate him. They aren't washing his face yet. Fred just looks at them calmly.

12 comments:

Biddie said...

I am a little confused, but given my current state of mind, that is nothing new.
I am dog lover, big time. He is too cute for words.

Karen said...

That poor dog. Why oh why do people dress up their pets? Mind you, he is pretty cute.

Wandering Coyote said...

That's such a great picture, but Karen's right: the dog I'm sure is pretty indignant. My mom had a Bassett named Fred when she was growing up.

tweetey30 said...

He is pretty cute. If you dont want him I'll take him. LOL... My girls would love him to death.

Gardenia said...

Believe me, this dog was loving being in the midst of Camelot, a part of play and companionship. I've never seen such a people loving dog -

Gardenia said...

I often think of two species especially - that are given to mankind that love, amuse, befriend, sometimes save, diagnose illnesses, navigate for the blind, help the police: dogs and cats. Now, I admit cats fall a little short when it comes to being a police cat, fire cat, drug sniffer, or service cat. But they know when I'm sick and won't leave my side until I'm up and at 'em again.

I don't think dressing animals up is bad, I think they enjoy playing with us (of course one shouldn't dress them in anything to constrict or hurt them and if they run off or swat you, you know you've crossed their boundaries, and same as humans, if they don't like it, you shouldn't do it). I think if they are calm and running around playing with you, they probably like it. They can get out of dress up clothes in a New York minute if they don't like it. Miss Meowie is like Houdini - when she was an apartment cat, I got the bright idea of putting her on a harness with the thought of walking her so she could get fresh air. NOT! Never seen an animal back out of a harness that fast in my life.

I think of all the good times I had with my pets when I was a child - we played dress up together. There were times I preferred their company to humans. Believe me, a pet will let you know when they aren't having fun as well.

The other day I was going down the road and a dog passed me up - he was sitting in the seat of a convertible sports car, had on dog goggles, and a neck scarf - he was living it up! I do think he would have made quick work of his gear, if he wasn't feeling ultra-sexy in it.

Dogs are such better sports than cats, although I did have a cat that would wear a bonnet and enjoyed being wheeled about in a doll buggy a long time ago.

Tweety, Fred really does belong to Leo Paints for Less, but Fred loves to come over and visit, pee on my palms, and get roasted chicken snacks, and loved on by the boy (and me), and run around the yard with LPFL and the boy. He loves to snoop inside the house, and has toys he'll bring out to Sage that he wants to play with. Fred always asks first. Yes, he's a cool dog. LPFL runs and Fred, despite his girth runs with him, usually ahead of him to let him know where he, Fred, wants to go. Of course, the dog is a chick magnet too!

Vicki said...

OK,
you know I have never loved a cat since Bippet..and Kr onus has the biggest part of my cat heart but I still am grieving over the loss of Fuller. I turned into a dog person a long time ago.
My concern is that you, Ma and I all have that co-dependant compulsive gene (dominant in de MUM). I have had three dogs sharing my bed at one time(that doesnt count the X) and I nursed Fuller from being totally paralyzed to 80% function...Oh, Fred looks like he could melt an ice cube with those eyes.
Have fun receiving unconditional love.
Sistelbarkey

Gardenia said...

vicki, I think the difference is that you had a life besides the dogs. The dogs were an addition to your life, not to the exclusion of everything and everyone else, and you didn't go without your medical needs to pay vet bills, then throw their meds away because you didn't like what the doc said. I don't think we'll get there no matter how many dogs we get - er, I hope we don't. Hattigraces' little dog is too cute..........I do wish I could have Fred to run around with me, but I am smart enough to know I am having trouble taking care of what I currently have, so I'll just have to borrow Fred. Besides, poor Fred needs his toes done really badly as well as I think he might have worms as he is doing a whole lot of scooting - and this is bothering me a whole lot even though Fred is not my dog, its bothering me.....and I'm reminded its not my responsibility and if it were I can't do it.......annuh.......good thing I can't climb fences....oh by the way Kronos has gained weight - I feed him in bathroom so others won't get his food from him, so now he always follows me to the bathroom.....

tshsmom said...

I LOVE Bassets!
I'd never have one though, as they can't make it up the steps to our house without being lifted. I'm getting too old to lift dogs up the stairs. :(

Anonymous said...

tha ferals will nevah toleratit

Vicki said...

This post has caused quite a stir, yes indeed. I think Bassets are known for their mellow personalities..no wonder you are attracted to Fred. He isn't swirling with crisis!!
The lady next door has a little black (usually UUggghh) poodle, but Rocky" has a splendid pesonality and I'd love to get my mits on him.
I remember Puss from our childhood. She loved being our"baby" and being dressed up in doll clothes and even wrapped like a baby in a blanket. Was she the one that liked to be vacuumed, too??
Should we tell them about Little Latin Loopie Lou?
Not too many people have slept with a skunk. No no not my X. A real skunk, animal, black with white stripe kind. X's stripe is yellow.

Gardenia said...

LOL, Puppy, Big Meowie is like a feral (except she thinks she's the queen here) - the slightest displeasure, she will take a toe off your foot!

I found 6 feral kittens at Popeye's Chicken - I tried to catch them, to bring home and find homes for, they were pitifully dirty and thin, but they wouldn't let me. Best I can do is just buy them a chicken dinner when I go through and hope they don't get run over by some mean sucker.

Vicki, it was Puss I was thinking of who loved being our "baby" - what a splendid cat - sweet. I do think she is the one who liked her shedding hair vacuumed off her body.

Poodles can be super sweet or super obnoxious. I have two friends with super sweet ones. I miss my big standard one - he was sweet too. Hattigrace's dog would work well for a condo - its so cute - she pees on a little contraption, then you remove the newspaper and put another down.

Latin Loopie Loo - you were the only one she liked - the rest of us are lucky we aren't missing fingers. Or eyes. Remember the cats knocking knicknacks off the shelf to hit her as she scooted around the baseboards? Speaking of Loopie, her personality was rather like Ms. Meowie's.

Yassss, interesting how this would be the post to cause controversy! We aren't the only ones in the world who dressed(s) our pets up are we?? Maybe its an American thing (we are all a bit daft)!