Carry on, my Wayward Son

Despite a myriad of faults (we call him B-ruin for a reason, as in: he's b-ruined our furniture, our lives, etc) Bruin is a pretty cool dog. I'll be the first to admit (after a couple of beers of course) that I don't give him enough credit. He went from a knock-kneed, screaming, piddling puppy to a long lanky adult who no longer makes water in his pants when you speak sharply. Okay, there is still screaming. No one is perfect.

 To begin with, Noons has a kick-ass spot on his chest that looks a little like a butterfly.

It looks great on that fab brindle background! 

Secondly, Bruin is ridiculously FAST. At the dog park, he isn't the obnoxious dog humper that Gryphon was; he's too busy galloping in circles like a demented race horse. Few dogs can catch him. To see him flying across a field is a marvelous sight.

Despite being a tall drink of water, Runes will fold himself up into the smallest possible chair and go to sleep. God help this dog if Nik and I get struck by lightening and he has to go to a home where he isn't allowed on the furniture. The floor is for lesser beasts like cats and drunken house guests. In the summer, you can see him out on the deck sitting in 'his' chair for hours, much to the amusement of the neighbors.

 Another cool thing is that he sleeps LIKE THIS...

 

I feel like I cannot document this enough. It is frigging adorable. He also woofs in his sleeps and curls his back toes. B'awww.

Runes has a whiny husky-like bark, but he doesn't use it often. I think our neighbors will like us a lot better now that they can walk past our windows without hearing "BAWAWAWAWAWAWWARRRRRRGGGGGRRRR#$%$%@!@#!@#WOOWOOWOOOOOOOO!" 

Gryphon was determined to guard us from passing old ladies and babies in strollers with his hellhound baying, but Bruney feels no need to raise an alarm.

He WILL cause a racket if treats are not forthcoming, however.

Bruin is a bit of a loner at the park, but he sure does love his marfs at home.  What is a marf, you ask? Well, when he was a puppy, Bruin didn't WOOF, he MARF'd.  In time, a 'marf' became any loved toy (Go fetch your marf!) or small animal Bruin took a fancy to.  He LOVES pocket pets. He was a proper mum to multiple foster kittens, foster guinea pigs, and foster hamsters.

 

(He was always very gentle, although I will admit that moments after the last picture was taken, he put the whole hamster in his mouth. Oooops)

But the BEST marf of all has proved to be his weasel, Kirby.  A marf that likes to wrestle is the best marf of all.

 Yep, Bruin is kind of a cool guy.  

His coolness counterbalances his baffling nervous energy and separation anxiety. It all makes most of the following forgivable...

 Oh, your favorite pillow? Sorry.

 

Good job stitching it up, Mom! I won't touch it again.

 

Just kidding, fuck you pillow!

 And you too, other pillow!

 (....seriously, dog?)

 Stripes make me upset!

 So do IKEA chairs!

Funnily enough, his destructive behavior is mysteriously curbed when he is wearing an e-collar (aka "Happy Hat"), as we happily discovered recently.  So now we can leave him loose while we go to work and school, although tales of a weird screaming lamp have been noted in our neighborhood.

Old Long, Tall and Ugly is enjoying being a single dog. While we miss our old boy terribly, we are so glad to have Bruin there to love.