<intended for weekend sep 26-27>

• It has come to our attention that our dog snores. Not all the time. Sometimes.
• We finally "bit the bullet" & get a choke collar for Sammy. Why, you may ask? *
• I've come to the conclusion that the throbbing pain I've been experiencing in both shoulders is the result of trying to restrain him while we're walking.
• This happens when he eagerly strains toward a "post of interest" [if you catch my drift] and/or
• Tries to launch himself at another dog or other critter whom he perceives has encroached into his proximity. **
• When we took him along to the Worley's last weekend, because we couldn't find a dog sitter & were too cheap to spring for a kennel, both Lois & I experienced anxiety & physical distress when we took him on walks.
• He reacted poorly when he observed dogs & squirrels that potentially were going to encroach upon his proximity.
• He gets VERY excited when he knows or at least suspects that he gets to go along on a car ride. How do we know this? He launches himself toward the vehicle. I can't speak for Lois, but when it was time to leave for Norfolk on SAT evening, our car was parked on the street, & I had him on the leash, we exited the front door with him in tow, he immediately sensed that we were heading for the car, & he launched himself. I had to run to keep up w/him, all the while thinking that (a) the leash was tearing the flesh from my left hand; and/or (b) my left shoulder socket was going to be dislocated by or before the time we reached the car. ***

* And it really doesn't matter if you ask, because I'm going to tell you anyway.

** After all, in my defense, he does weigh around 60 lbs. Tell you what, take 60 lbs of free weights, lash them together with bungee cords, tie the other ends around your wrists, & drop them off an overpass. See how many times it takes before YOUR shoulders start throbbing!

*** Fortunately, neither of these things happened, or you'd REALLY be experiencing a rant right now.