To Bullet and To Dog Friends

My best friends are dog friends. We will look at a puppy, or even pictures of a puppy, and if his pedigree is known, we'll discuss all of the facts and rumors we know about his progenitors and their kennels. If we don't know the pedigree, we'll still endlessly discuss all of his possible provenances and sources.

Baby Bullet, approx. 1992.

We enthusiastically talk about poop at dinner parties and other group social events. Hopefully, we are surrounded by other dog friends when doing so but even if we aren't, I've found that isn't much of a deterrent for us.

The occassional, hmm, well, the regular flurry, of dog hair on clothes and furniture are for us just part of the scenery.

Denise surrounded by her Meggie, Scout, unknown dog (sorry, Julie!), my Jack, and Mary Claire, Montgomery County Fox Terrier Dog Show, 2003.

My friend Denise has a 16 yr old smooth fox terrier named Bullet. He's one of the toughest little dogs I've run across: he's had cataract surgery in both eyes, he's had TPL surgery on both knees, he's mostly deaf at this point, and he's become a wee bit incontinent. He can still do a bit of agility, mainly low jumps and tunnels, but it's probably more impressive that he still wants to even try!

Sad Bullet after the first TPL surgery, July 2006.

His vigor for life and engagement with his people and pack remains undimmed.

Bullet with agility awards, March 2006. He's 13 in this photo!

Denise has another smooth fox, a rehomed show dog named Meggie. In fact, it was her interest in smooths that brought us together, way back in 2000, I believe. She recently crossed over to the dark side and got a young Hobnob border collie she has appropriately named Crash.

For the most part, Crash has become Bullet's assistance dog, helping to wake the little old guy for the morning potty runs and letting him know when Denise is ready to gather the dogs and leave her exercise field, because of course calling Bullet isn't going to work anymore. According to Denise, Crash worships Bullet and follows him around constantly, which is of course only as it should be from Bullet's perspective. He's a smooth fox after all.

I have learned so much about dog behavior and training from Denise, which she in turn learned from the obsessive-compulsive master himself, Bullet. He's mellowed a bit in his old age but old dogs can always teach us plenty of new tricks.

Denise and Bullet, December 2008.

The Circus K9 pack sends their love and paws up to Bullet and I send the same to Denise and John. (And of course, to Meggie and Crash too, but this post is supposed to be about Bullet!)