I thought I’d spend a little time on the things that make each dog… them. Not really a timeline, more like a view from above.
Melvin is pure love wrapped up in an ADD package. I love you, no I love you, no I love you, wait it’s you, ok back to you. He’s sort of just a love-slut.
He loves in this order:
- Food
- Human men
- Children holding food
- Pregnant women
- Spoiled food
- Children
- Items that resemble food
- Human women (non-pregnant)
- Jake
- Other dogs (sometimes)
- Cats (he calls them lunch)
- Spiders (he cries)
He loves car rides, especially if those trips end at my parents or the vet. Yes, he loves the vet. He has tried to crash though the glass door, just to get inside. Once inside, the folks at his vet call out his name the same way the cast of Cheers used to call out ‘Norm!’.
The only time he is ever demanding is if he REALLY HAS TO GO. He does not bark to eat. He will sleep in until I say the magic letters “O.K.”. Even if the alarm goes off, he waits for the sign.
He will eat anything. There are absolutely no parameters around that statement. I have seen him eat a cupcake covered in ants, grass, acorns, leaves, cigarette butts, goose poop, rancid chicken bones, a squirrel foot, plastic hangers, mulch, socks, rubber bands and sticks. He will eat his own regurgitation.
He is leash reactive, although he is much better than he used to be. His biggest behavioral challenge is greeting people — on walks, when they come to the house, wherever — he’s just too exuberant. Also, for some reason, he tries to dance with pregnant women. Every time.
We are pretty certain that in his previous life, he was hit with hangers. He and I worked on this for a long, long time and now I can scratch him with a hanger. If he’s in the closet (he comes out of the closet regularly) and a hanger falls on his head, he no longer panics and tries to death it.
He makes noises that make me think he could converse with Chewbacca. You can look at his teeth, take his butt temperature, clip his nails or check his ears but he does not like his belly rubbed unless he offers it up. Nothing makes him more uneasy than an unwanted hand on his belly (hmmmmmmm….this may have something to do with his connection with pregnant women).
My driver.
Love learning more about Melvin! More videos! 😉 Also I’m jealous of your love slut. Rufus has some very strict guidelines for offering up his love. He’s a total tease.
I would like for you to send me Rufus so that we can train him to be more slutty!
Yes please!!
Ooh can we get in on this?! Melvin can run a canine love slut boot camp!
Also I SO feel his pain re: the spiders 🙁
Melvin…I just love his face…That’s so sad about the hangers…Trev was abused before we saved him too…Plastic bags would make him cringe with fear and loud voices sent him running…Love does conquer all…now when you come home with a plastic bag, he pokes his nose in it til he finds his new gift or toy!!!! Melvin…I love that he loves pregnant women… and most of all…I LOVE seeing dogs drive…I honestly think the roads might be safer if dogs drove!!!!
Awwww, love that you converted his bag aversion to bag worship!!!
I understand the belly thing. When I was pregnant, there was nothing more annoying than a random stranger coming up and touching my belly. How weird is that? Awesome that he is feeling so safe now and the hangers and other problems of his past are left behind. Good Job, Mom!!
I know, I’m not really sure what people expect when they touch a pregnant belly!
I seriously love him. Just everything about him is adorable and makes me want to snuggle his little chewbacca face!
And he loves you, already.
This is so nice! No one but dog owners can truly appreciate how different and individual they each are.
I totally get the belly thing, Mel. Solidarity.
Love him! I love that he dances with pregnant women. We also have the exuberant problem (though they don’t see it as a problem).
He sure rocked that mohawk!
Stop on by for a visit
Kari
http://dogisgodinreverse.com/
I think I love Melvin even more than before! And, don’t worry buddy, I cry when I see spiders too, they scare the crap out of me!
My favorite thing about Melvin (having not met him) is how expressive his face in photos. Sometimes he shows so much emotion!
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