Getting Started...finally!

I have just gotten into this thing called blogging and wanted to have a place to talk about my best friend and constant companion (someplace that will not get me committed or get me crazy looks).

First, let me introduce you to Satchmo. That's a picture of him up in the banner. He is a 10 year old Rat Terrier that has lived with me since he was about 5 weeks old. He started out small enough to be carried in my shirt pocket, which I did during a whole shift at work when I first got him. He currently weighs in at a whopping 13 pounds and stands approximately 12 inches off the ground.

He has quite a few foibles that I have adapted to. First, he has a deformed toe and he HATES for anyone to touch it. When I cut his nails, you will think that I am killing him with all the howling and yelping he does. Second, he is allergic to just about everything. He can't take any shots without first getting Benadryl and steroids. He can't tolerate the flea drops that you put on the back of his neck--he falls over and can't get up when you put it on him. Third, he is always hungry. I mean it. He will never say "NO" to food. I've had him checked and he has no parasites, so that's not the problem. Fourth, his mouth stinks. I have his teeth cleaned fairly regularly, but his mouth still smells like the bottom of a cat box. Fifth, he likes to sit up like a prairie dog and stare at me. It is really cute, and he can sit like that for a very long time.

He also is an escape artist and will scoot out of a crack in the door if an opportunity presents itself. When he was about a year old he did his escape act and dashed out into the road. Since he thinks he is as big as a Great Dane and meaner than a Doberman, and he absolutely has no sense about the world at large, he tangled with a pickup truck and he lost. Oh, that was a horrible day!

He ended up with 5 fractures to his pelvis and spent the next 8 weeks living in a cage. So, as a result of his exuberance and stupidity, he has one back leg that sticks out slightly at a weird angle and his hips cause him some pain when the weather changes (God, do I understand that!).
I was really worried that his prairie dog days were over, but not to worry! He just learned to balance his weight differently so he could still sit up and look at me with his big sad eyes.

I'm sure there are more peculiarities, but I can't think of them right now. I'll just close this posting with this comment. He is a steadfast and true friend; he is really good company; and he makes me laugh. He also wants to go out every 2 hours, so I stay active whether I want to or not.

Enjoy life!

Shirley