Winter and the Short-Haired Dog

As Cabot reaches his tween-age years, we're learning quite a few things about his personality and disposition. We've also learned something about Cabot and cold weather: he doesn't like it. His potty breaks are a sight to behold, at least if you're an aficionado of stark efficiency in action. There's not a wasted moment in the entire process; he wants to spend the minimum amount of time necessary outside in the cold taking care of, well.... necessities.

To that end, we have provided Cabot with some outerwear to help keep him warm.

He liked it so much that we thought we'd try it on his big brother Hogarth. Hoggie was generally okay with it, but that fact was mooted by something we quickly learned about Cabot.

Cabot doesn't like to share.

We already knew that about his toys; he howls and carries on if Hogarth picks up one of his Nylabones for a chewing session. Well, he's the same way with his clothing. He scolded Hogarth for having the nerve to wear his sweater, and even nipped at the sweater as if to tear it off of Hogarth. Hogarth has never been one to enjoy the wearing of clothes, though, so he was quite happy to relinquish it.

We haven't had the heart to tell Cabot that those horizontal stripes make him look pretty chunky. Some things are better left unsaid.

Now I know

I often wondered what went on all day at home while I was at work bringing home the bacon.

(WOOF! YOU SAID BACON!! WOOF!!)

Now I know.

An interesting mix: part Boxer, part Dalmatian, all Lazy SOB.

Mornings

Cabot simply cannot rest until he has disturbed everyone else's rest. It's not enough to wake one of us up to put him outside; he'll sit on the couch with his chosen victim for only so long before deciding that he has tired of the present company and needs to wake someone else. Sometimes he can be distracted with breakfast. One of his odd little morning habits is that he has to have something in his mouth. It used to be an old towel that we'd leave by the back door to use for drying him and Hogarth off if they had gotten rained on while outside doing their business, but that got eaten and spread around in the backyard as Cabot, well.... did his business. These days he retrieves one of his Nylabones, the only dog toy in existence that can withstand his powerfully destructive jaws for more than a few hours. So, when he's ready to engorge himself with breakfast, he "parks" the Nylabone.

The "placemat" under the bowls is actually a welcome mat that says "Beware: dog can't hold his licker."

Eating doesn't take long with Cabot's voracious appetite and he is soon looking for another distraction. That often ends up being Hogarth, who really just wants to be left alone in front of the fireplace, relaxing on his new $4.00 blanket from the Thrift Shop. The new blanket, I might add, that was purchased to replace the old one destroyed by (guess who!!) Cabot.

Cabot's Christmas Carol

Ah, Cabot's first Christmas. He's gotten into the spirit by eating a few lightbulbs off of our brand new pre-lit tree, rendering it partially unlit. He has chewed up and eaten a wooden ornament. And now he has begun to sing accompaniment to one of the battery operated decorations.



He hates it when it stops.

Fetch

Fetch: a game whose subtle intricacies confound young Cabot:

Playmates

Remember earlier this year when we first got Cabot and he'd try to play with his big brother? Didn't it seem that it was always Cabot that ended up getting knocked over?

That hasn't changed.

The Rag Doll Defense(tm)

Puppy Cabot has recently discovered the Rag Doll Defense for those inconvenient times when he's faced with a command to remove himself from a piece of furniture after he has worn out his welcome.

"Cabot, down!"

"Down? Me?? Surely you can see that I have suddenly lost all of my bones and muscles and therefore could not possibly remove myself from this extremely comfortable bed. Without skeletal structure for support and  musculature to provide motive force, it should be clear as day to you that I simply have no choice in the matter."

"Cabot! DOWN!"

"No, seriously. Just look at me! I'm lying here like a mass of hairy Jello. Why, the only way that I could conceivably be moved would be for you to... HEY! PUT ME DOWN!!"