Not so Lucky

Otto intensely disliked a female black lab named Lucky that used to walk by our house in the early summer mornings. The dogs had one meeting and it didn't go well. Otto is usually very flirtatious with females, both women and dogs. Yesterday I saw the owner of the dog and she informed me that Lucky, the female black lab was on the way out with cancer all over her body. This makes #4 on the test factor for Otto's ability to detect disease in dogs and people.

Otto's breeder once told me that Anatolians know when things are not right, they can sense it, they don't like it and will try to eliminate it. I must be careful with him.

On a happier note, Otto has been walking like a show dog and has even given me one, one little kiss on the face. He is even waiting for me at the door instead of paws up in the bed. Something isn't right. Maybe his brain got frostbit. Any minute, he will surely be parading with my sock, or trying to attack the red truck passing by or just maybe, all of the "bad Dog Otto" is behind us now. I wonder. He is just a little bit too accommodating, like a naughty light switch, he just clicked over to "GOOD DOG ON" and I'm not entirely buying it.

Maybe, at 3 years, 2 months, Otto is growing up. I doubt it, he won't be full grown until he reaches 5 years old. Maybe he is just horrified that I posted his pictures in various get ups and he can't believe that 5000 years of Anatolian perfection has landed him with a mother that likes to dress him up. Regardless, I sure am enjoying him and he seems to be taking life in good stride.

Otto, my special Valentine

Otto's apology card

I hope the neighbor's have a sense of humor...

Otto and the Pee-Mail

The phone rang at 8:02 am this morning. The caller identified himself as our neighbor, whom I have never met, nor do I know which house he lives in. Guess we haven't been very social in the one year we have lived here with the neighbors. I was thinking to myself on this Pre-Valentine's day morning, it was a little early to be inviting us to a party, or, as are most of the neighbors calls to us, a solicitation to buy their children's girl scout cookies...to make a small contribution to their son's basketball team...I don't remember any of them ever saying, "Welcome to the neighborhood."

The caller politely asked me if I wouldn't mind, it isn't like they don't like and appreciate dogs, and that he "really didn't know how to nicely say this"...but ...if I really wouldn't mind "CURBING THE DOGS AWAY FROM HIS MAILBOX!" I apologized three times, sorry, very sorry and so so sorry, and promised that I would do my best to make sure that they avoided "their mailbox."

How embarrassing is that? It is entirely my fault but I must say in my own lame defense, it has been 40 below here and unimaginably windy. I have between wearing multiple layers of clothing, two hats and ski goggles because my eyelashes have been freezing, it has been dangerously cold outside. It is true, my dogs have been visiting the neighbor's mailboxes (all of them) doing their version of checking their pee-mail. One goes, the other dog goes immediately after leaving a bright yellow spot in the three foot drifts beneath each mailbox. It really doesn't look very nice. I should have pulled them away from the mailboxes but frankly I just wanted to get the walks over as quickly as possible. I realize that I am accountable. (At least Otto didn't whiz IN their mailbox, which in his more macho days, easily could have.)

So, we went out with the dogs after "the call." Husband shaking his head, defensively mumbling... "what a ___hole.." Both dogs sadly leashed. The 10 year old lab has never even been on a leash, he kept looking up as if to say, what have I done, it's the other ones fault..

I wonder if Hallmark makes an apology card for this?

BL-OTTO!

The New Wisconsin Mascot

Ottoman's Empire

Otto's Father

"AKAR"

So handsome, his eyes could pierce thru anything!

Coldest day yet...

40 below here in Wisconsin