We had an American Eskimo puppy that was found abandoned on the side of the road, riddled with mange. Mum took him in and got him back to good health. He was an awesome dog, but it was apparent that he'd been abused (pointing a finger or stick at him, and also saying "bang" while doing so resulted in a anger and fear). Several years on, no amount of love could overcome that early ingrained trauma and he soon started snapping at my mum, whom he adored above all else.

What I mean to say is: sometimes the nurture part can be fucked up before you even get into the picture. Mum had to put Sammy down after he bit her, and it broke her heart. But if he was the dude that protected her, and he turned on her, it was over. Nothing was sacred or safe.

I still remember walking the little dude through the park, and our streams have this weird foamy build up, and there was this nook that collected a lot of the foam, and he thought it was dry land, and leapt . . . wet doggy was hilarious! (Oddly, he had a habit of falling into water unexpectedly, and I ended up carrying his frozen ass up the hill after he fell through the ice on a creek).

And isn't saying that the dog was "so nice and gentle" akin to saying how polite and quiet the serial killer was? It's an exception. Otherwise, the answer is to write off the whole breed, to me.

The scary one was our dalmatian. She was basically sweet with us, but she was dumb as a box of hair, was 75+ pounds of muscle, and had crazy sharp teeth -- and didn't react well to humans who rushed toward her.

Thanks to Disney (and Budweiser), how many people do you think rushed at her when we walked her? Especially kids? There were never any incidents, but only because we learned to get in between her and strange kids really quickly.

Poor Kato, on the other hand, is a marshmellow, but looks like a rottie. Well, his coloring, at least. He's certainly WAY too fluffy-hairy and has the wrong head to be a rottie. We use a Halti (like a Gentle Leader) to walk him, and people think it's a muzzle. We'll be walking him, and parents will tell their kids to get out of the way because the dog bites.

Now, with an unfamiliar dog, it's always better to be cautious, so I do not fault a parent for not wanting their kid to be a Kato snack.

But it makes me sad, because I know that (1) the Halti is not a muzzle!, and (2) he's a marshmellow who lives for pettins and scritches. (Kato, OTOH, has no idea that his honor was impugned, and continues to gambol happily next to me, so it's all good in the end.)

I don't know if it's just because it's been one of those weeks for me, but this tweet of Joss' got the old allergies acting up.

Aw. And I hear you. Earlier today, I saw that the couple that did that wedding dance to "Forever" have a thing set up on their webpage now soliciting donations to a domestic violence charity, and they've raised $35K through it! And allergies.

Oh, parents of ita, not cool. Knocking wood that it's nothing, and also, Christmas plans?! Good god.

One of my friends had a pit-mix who was the sweetest dog, until one day the toddler tried to share her food. The first time, she snapped at him, the second time, she nipped him. They tried doggie behavioral training, but after the (almost) bite, they couldn't risk it anymore, and put her down. They cried over it for days.

I love animals and have lived with them almost all my life, but I don't believe we ever fully understand them, or they us. There's always some danger. And of course, we're a danger to them too. I think that we can forget it, but they never do.

I ran into the head of IT with his kittens today. Was my last chance to see them before he took them home. He was such an adorable doof about them "I know the little one is going to be trouble. [to me] Aw, thanks for the earrrubs. They like your nails!"

I think this means no more kittens in the office for a bit (these were part of two litters that had to be handraised the past few weeks. And since the head of IT is the boss of the woman fostering them, they came to work with her.)

I have to say, I see such small kittens and while adorable, omg, kittens. So,.much.work.

I have bent and have AC. Installing it was a sweaty mess, which is proof it is necessary. But it cools down monday, and I can go back to outside air. And I really need a casement AC for the small room. The unit I have its basic and basically handless that room only. A casement could put out more.

Wow, that posted before safari crashed.

One of these days I'll get a floral cooler. From, you know, one of the many florists going out of buisiness. My current situation is in the basement, where I have to ask the two tenants to close the laundry room door when they put the dryer on so they don't fry my flowers, and rely on the residual AC to keep the flowers until Saturday. We're so professional!

Stood in line for a bottle of wine. New guy at the register floundering about what to do about my lack of id. Then floundering because my purchase is double stamped and won't scan. Line keeps backing up behind me and no one seems to care about resolving that or my own issue. Not shopping there again.

Emmett's already back wearing his tux. I think he'll wear it about four times before prom, including going to pick Matilda up from school tomorrow.

Also, he decided that tux pants are very butt flattering, so he took a selfie of his bum.

Make sure to ask him if they are space pants.... because his ass is out of this world!