Happy Happy Birthday Baaby.....

If you don't remember that song, you're younger than me. Today is a great occasion for the world, it's Sunny's 9th birthday. That's right folks, nine years ago today Nina (Sunny's mother) was whelping puppies and Newt (his dad) was passing out cigars. My first introduction to the Sunman was at a conformation class (this is where puppies and dogs learn and practice how to show in a ring) his other mama Julia had him at it and it was love at first sight at least on my part. As far as he was concerned he was busy not behaving and sticking that  big heart shaped nose into everything. Typical Sunny puppy. This is the nosiest pup I have ever seen and stubborn as a mule. Most dogs do care if you are mad at them, not Sunny. As an example, his dad Newt will go to his crate if he thinks the other dogs will be doing something naughty. Sunny, on the other hand will lead the charge. In honor of His Highness, I thought I would go through a few highlights of his last 9 years.

But first, big news! We have relocated. We are now living on top of another mountain. This one is about 5 miles from the other one and even more remote. There are just two cabins on this one. Just think, no more Inbred Fred, no more Yorkies and of course no more Pig. But there is some talk of getting another pig and we will just have to deal with second hand reports. This ought to provide us with some yuks. Especially since Inbred Fred used to go ballistic over the Dals and he used to almost have a cardiac when the Yorkies would crap on his driveway. His reasoning was that he had just put in hardwood floors before he moved in and didn't want to track in Yorkie poop. This brings to mind 2 questions: first, wouldn't you would think he'd look where he is walking  That's always a good idea when you are walking around in the wilderness. The second question is with the size of a Yorkie turd and all of the open space around there what are the odds of stepping in one. I never once stepped on a Yorkie turd the whole time I lived there. I have been considering going over there one night and leaving a big ole steaming pile with a few scattered chicken bones in it outside his door and leaving him with the task of wondering what large animal ate the the Yorkies and crapped right outside his door. Now that would be a hoot!

Of course this new house will give me lots of subject matter. First, my only neighbor doesn't have Yorkies, but he does have 3 small mixed terriers about 2-3 pounds each and one Chihuahua. The Doos have made friends with them. Even Mira who we all know hates everyone except me and the rest of the pack. Actually, the jury is still out on Sunfire. In addition to the little dogs which we will now refer to as Yowawas, there is a pack of hounds on a neighboring mountain who have an ongoing howl/bark fest with Spots. Finally, there is a dysfunctional rooster nearby too.

Now back to the highlights of Sunny Bunny's life so far. His other mama Julia once said to him that he should be glad that his mama (me) loved him because no one else would put up with him. If I remember correctly he just smiled at her and tried to sit on her head. Headsitting was one of his favorite pastimes when he was a pup. Thank God he gave it up because he is now 60+ lbs. Sunny once actually administered the "Official Boyfriend Test". We figured if a guy could survive Sunny puppy he had potential. Julia had just started dating this guy. He was a big good looking guy but not a dog person. When they came into the house they sat on the couch. This guy had no idea that Sunny considered the coffee table his personal spot (Sunny has always been a table sitter). Anyway, he hopped on the coffee table and from the table to the back of the couch and you could tell that he considered doing some head sitting but settled for wrapping himself around the guys neck. This totally freaked the man out. He asked "is he going to bite me?" Sunny answered his question by giving him a wet willie. We still laugh about that.

Sunny was also known as the "Panty King" for having made a stroll through the house when we had guests with a clean pair of white cotton panties on his head. He was wearing it with his face sticking out of a leg hole and the rest draped over his head. Life has never been dull with this guy around. Sunny has always been a puppy lover, with his litters and two rescue litters. He looked like a mother duck leading her "ducklings" around. He actually stole one of his puppies from the whelping box one time and took it to his crate to cuddle. When Lotto discovered the pup missing she tried to rip him a new one. That never stopped him from getting into the whelping box. He had learned not to do it when mom was around. When he heard her coming he would hop out and try to look innocent. Of course Lotto would sniff the pups and give him her deadly stink eye accompanied by a low growl and he would give her his best "who me?" look.

Over the years the Sunny stories just kept on coming. Way too many to recall in one blog. He is considered a senior and like me he becoming a little cranky and set in his ways. He sleeps on the bed with Lotto and me in "the big crate". He has always liked to cuddle but Lotto has claimed that right. She sleeps spooning with me with her head near my stomach and her butthole near my face. That is so I will get the full impact of her lethal farts. Sunny and Lottie would vie for this prime spot. For example, when one of them would get the good spot the other would jump up and run for the window barking like we were being attacked by a bunch of rabid ninja squirrels. The result of this was that all the others would start barking, especially Riggins who has never overlooked a chance to bark with that loud, high, earsplitting continuous bark of his. However,  the real point was to roust the other from the good spot so that the barker could jump up into the prime spot. I guess Sunny decided that it was too much trouble and invented a "new" spot. The new spot is at the head of the bed  on the same side I am facing, laying across the bed. Now this would be alright if his head was on my pillow, but not Sunny, oh no. He is facing away from me with his butt on the pillow. This allows me the unique view of his "brown eye" and may I add that Sunny has always lacked hygiene in that area. The other benefit is that now he can directly kick me in the head if I do something to annoy him, which doesn't take much.

Today on the JLS website, Julia really summed it up by saying, "it's Sunny's world and we just share it". That's the truth. Thank you Sunny for sharing your life with me. Happy Birthday BooBoo Bunny, your mama loves you......

Until next time which will be sooner than this one was adios amigos/amigas, and try to stay northbound of the netherparts of a southbound dog!