Dogs

I read Kendra's post today and chuckled. It made me think of our two crazy dogs. We have the two dogs, Merlin: the big goofball I chose and Percy: the little, chubby fluffball we inherited. :)
Merlin:
*He cries when his is anywhere other than the room people are in, such as when we have company and put him in his kennel. It sounds as if we have trapped a child in the basement.
*He eats underwear-if we leave our doors open to our rooms and the girls have left dirty clothes out, he shows his anger at our being gone by eating part of the pair of underwear-leaving some for us to see his disdain.
*He has discovered our invisible fence is broken, nope, he isn't stupid... he has wandered a little farther and a little farther... until I found him on the neighbor's patio! Now I must watch every move!
*He has decided in his old age (11 years old) that he doesn't have to follow old rules anymore. Much like an old human curmudgeon, he grumbles at anything he doesn't like and has changed his sleeping arrangement... We never let the dogs upstairs and he has come up more and more often. I find him almost every morning sleeping outside one of our bedroom doors. Every now and again I hear him poke hard at the doors with his nose, hoping for an in to sleep where we are.
*He digs in the trash-bathroom, bedroom or office. He eats what he likes and leaves a mess on the floor of that room.
*He sheds-used to not shed as much, but sheds a lot now. His fur and skin are oily and he smells like old dog.

And still, I love it when he licks my chin to show me he loves me or hides under my desk so he's touching me when it thunders. I know he's loyal and has a heart for me/our family.

Percy:
*Eats anything that hits the ground, including balloons-if a water balloon pops at a party you'd better catch the remnants quick! :) Bits of yarn, clothing, anything.
*Also sheds a lot-always has-enough to cover another dog!
*He barks like a fool-hears a UPS truck (they don't even stop here very often!) and he will bark even after the driver has driven three blocks away.
*He licks his skin until it's red and raw, even with meds. He's older, too, so this and his snorting, full nose has too. We have to hide Benadryl in cheese for him to eat sometimes for our ten year old dog.
*He drags his bottom on the only rug we have in the downstairs, on the hardwood floors.
*When Merlin gets ill/sick to his stomach, he heads for the door, to be ill outside. Percy, he heads for the only rug downstairs...

Percy has come a long way. When we got him he wouldn't even look at me. He would show love to everyone else in our household, but he disliked me, it was like I took my sister in law's place as his mom and he didn't like me. Even with all his flaws, I'm so happy he has become one of my boys. When I get home he wiggles and wags past other family to get to me first, to tell "Mom" hi.

Both dogs are pretty cute and very loyal. They want to protect our family and home, and to show us love. I'm lucky. :)