The Pecan Park Eagle

Morti McCurdy (Shih Tzu), Age 7.

Pluto McCurdy (All American), Age 3,

In further deference to the these dog days of summer, I thought I’d take a few minutes to introduce all of you to the two canine members of our little family. Morti and Pluto aren’t the biggest dogs in the world, but neither of them seems to understand that fact when it comes to greeting people, or other animals, that venture innocently into their mutually defended territory. They are each relentless barking machines, with Morti never rising above the rank of verified loudmouthed “Yapper,” and Pluto sounding more like the Hound of the Baskervilles with his deep and baleful groaning, grinding mourns into every pore of your body that is susceptible to sound vibration.

Morti is a Shih Tzu, the Chinese breed from centuries of fame in Asia as the palace guard dog. Morti is a native Houstonian. He only weighs about ten pounds, but he is a dedicated guardian of the gates to our little home-castle. Pluto is three-quarters Dachshund and one-quarter Chihuahua. He was born in Fort Stockton, Texas. Our son Neal brought him home from the litter of a neighbor’s pet while he was working in West Texas back in 2007-2008. Pluto weights about 20 pounds, a figure that seems to correspond pretty closely to his operational IQ, but we love him none the less, anyway, in spite of the fact that what happens to you when you actually catch up with a squirrel in the back yard remains out there as a lesson for Pluto to learn.

I don’t have much else to offer this morning, but I do have a lot of other mundane things to get done. before it gets too hot. I’d love to hear more about your own pets, too, if you feel like sharing. If you don’t like animals, I respect your right to choose the easier path of cleaner loneliness over the messier way of living with unconditional love, but I really don’t need to hear from you on this subject. When it comes down to animal lovers versus all those who either dislike, or find themselves allergic to animals, my position is simple: There are just some gaps in life that are better off left unexplored.

Have a BOW-WOW, ARF-ARF Tuesday, everybody!