a not so bashful me

I like to snuggle up against my humans and sleep. As my mom describes it, “he glues to you”. I like nothing better than to put my head on your chest and snarfle away.

I am sort of a guard dog though. I look closely at everything and every one and I am very careful about my surroundings. I prefer having us all together where I can keep an eye on everyone and I get upset if someone just walks off.

I am enjoying the colder weather. I don’t mind the rain, up to a point. I accept the drizzle but if it is raining hard, I look at humans, and say let’s get our business done and get back inside.

All in all, I am a quite reasonable dog. My humans claim, however, that I haven't gotten all the memos. Despite my surgery, I still have a tendency to try and hump everybody occasionally. It makes my humans wonder what I would be like if I hadn’t had the surgery. I also have not gotten the word about the “quiet Cane”. I don’t really bark too much but I do moan and groan and snarfle. This usually occurs in the evening as I lay on the floor in front of my humans; well, I need to recount my day and all my travails.

I am also not bashful about making sure everyone know I am there when the food is being served. I poke around with my nose and "accidentally" hit someone's elbow. Not my fault. I have the right to get my share, don't I. So, they shouldn't forget to do their duty and if they do so, I have to remind them. Right?!

ei hameita kiitos

Olimme tässä jonkin aika sitten kylässä yhden ystävämme luona, joka ilmoitti Mauronkin olevan mitä tervetullein. Kohta saavuttuamme Mauro vatkasi häntäänsä liian vimmatusti ja onnistui piiskaamaan sohvapöydällä olleen kulhon pirstaleiksi lattialle. Emäntä lattiaa luututessaan yhtäkkiä kiljahti kauhistuneena ja siitä tiesimme, että Mauro oli koiramaisille tavoilleen uskollisena tehnyt lähempää tuttavuutta. Hän lykkää varoittamatta kostean nenänsä suoraan hameen alle - mikä ei ole erityisen suositty temppu naisten keskuudessa.

Ladymäisen ja varovaisen akitamme Lucyn jälkeen halusimme seurallisemman ja taputusystävällisemmän koiran. No, ollemme totisesti saanneet sellaisen. Päiväunille mennessä Mauro kysyy, josko hän voi tehdä seuraa ja oitis liimautuu kylkeen kiinni ja kiehnää nenä kainalossa kuin kissa konsanaan. Nähdessään hymynpoikasen hän käyttää heti tilaisuutta hyväkseen ja rojahtaa koko painollaan rinnan päälle ja nuolee onnessaan naamaasi. No, mehän halusimme taputusystävällisen koiran...

Oli miten oli, meille kylään tultaessa on on parasta olla pukeutumatta hameisiin tahi pyhäpukimiin. Jos Mauro on änge nenään paikkoihin, jonne sitä ei haluta, hän jättää housun punttiin tai hameen helmaan limaisen kuolavanan.

Ladies, no skirts or dresses please

One of our friends invited us over for a little celebration a while back and told us to bring Mauro. Shortly after we got there, Mauro vigorously wagged his tail and accidentally knocked off a dish that was her coffee table. While she was bent over cleaning up, we heard her yelp and knew that Mauro had introduced himself and was apologizing in his own inimitable way. He pokes his nose right under the skirt or the dress - a gesture not particularly popular among the ladies.

After Lucy our Akita who was very much aloof and very much a lady, we wanted a more touchy-feely dog. We got one. If you lay down to rest during the day, he will ask if he can join you on the bed and immediately glue himself as closely as possible to you. He rubs up against you like a cat and, if you smile at him, he will immediately accept that as an invitation to jump up, put his paws on your shoulders and lick your face. Since he is now big enough to do that to me and to look me in the eye while he is doing it, many people find this somewhat upsetting. I guess this is an example of be careful what you ask for, you might get it.

All I can tell you ladies is that when you come to visit don’t dress up. Mauro has a way of leaving slightly drool slimy marks on all textiles. And, please don’t wear a dress.