2 - Pinto's Pal, Brodi

Brodi and me on a hike.
M'Lady had said to "Sit!" and "Stay!"
So I ignored her.  But Brodi is lookin' pretty cute

     HOWDY folks!  Pinto the BlogDog here.  Last week, I promised to tell you about my pal, Brodi.  You need to know about him, 'cause he's important to the operation.  He doesn't actually belong to M'Lady and TheBoss.  He belongs to their son, ClayMan.  But, M'Lady says he's here to stay.  That ole' Brodi weaseled his charm into her heart pronto.  I guess that wasn't hard, she's such a softy.

     You see, about 2 years ago, TheFam lost their dear old bloodhound, Gump.  After that, I was really enjoying having TheFam all to myself.  They took me everywhere, and talked to me,  scratched and petted me all the time!  But, ClayMan came home from college for the summer, and the first thing he said was, "I'm going to get us a new dog, Pinto is lonely!" (I wasn't lonely at all!)  M'Lady said no!  But, ClayMan went to the pound, and walked out with a 7 year old golden retriever named Brodi.  ClayMan told M'Lady that Brodi was on sale and looked so sweet, he just had to bring him home.  M'Lady and BossMan were pretty steamed, but by now, they practically love Brodi as much as ME!

     When Brodi first came here, he was a wreck, weighing in at 103 pounds!!!  Holy CatTails, Man, what have you been doing, eating and couch-surfing?  I keep myself at a svelt 37 pounds, eat modestly and work out every day.  Brodi could barely walk across the yard, he was so out of shape.  Oh, and he was a tender-toes, practically tiptoeing across the gravel driveway the first two weeks.  It was pretty sorry.  Also, I think he had never done anything.  He didn't know about cats, birds, cows, dirt - heck he didn't know about swimming!  It took him about a month to finally figure out how to swim in the canal to cool off.  Now, you can hardly keep him out of there!

   Poor Brodi.  M'Lady put him on a crash diet.  Plus, she put him on a fitness regimen.  He started going with us on our daily patrols along the ditch-road.  At first, even though I was pointing out any number of fascinating things to sniff and dig at, he stayed right with M'Lady.  And, he'd be draggin' after about 200 yards!  You can't be draggin'!  I mean, when we're on our romps, the field birds taunt us, there are pheasants and quail to scare up, rockchuck dens to dig up, cattle to stare at through the fence, and a really cute black lab on the next farm named Cheese to flirt with.  It took Brodi weeks to break away and start running with me.  I think he couldn't breathe or something.  Then, finally, he figured it out, and now, he leads our races.

     After a coupla months, Brodi had the vet weigh him; he had gotten down to a trim 65 pounds, and he became a specimen!  Wow!  What a beautiful dog!  And well behaved!  Somebody along the way taught that dog manners!  He actually made me look bad!

     One thing that drives me nuts about Brodi is that he loves his ball.  He will drop it at ClayMan's feet, and while ClayMan completely ignores him, will stand absolutely still and stare at that ball.  Then ClayMan will suddenly throw the ball, and Brodi will inanely run till he finds and catches it.  Then he'll run as fast as he can back to ClayMan, drop the ball, and do it all over again. Over and Over and Over.

     Really?

     I gotta have some variety in my play!  I like to chase Brodi as he's mindlessly chasing the ball, and try to distract him by biting his legs, leaping up right in front of his face and joyfully snarling and growling at him.  It really ticks him off, and I tell ya, it makes my day.

Brodi and TheWeeLaddie.  He's got that wisdom look
on his face - fooling everybody.

     Oh, here's another thing.  Even though Brodi has wheedled his way into TheFam's hearts, he made one big mistake.  In the wintertime, we get to sleep inside, ya know, 'cause it's cold out.  Well, last winter Brodi was sleeping on his bed in the kitchen, and he had an accident on the living room carpet!  Big, big mistake.  So, now he has to sleep in the laundry room, while I, The Honored, The Devoted, get to sleep on a sheepskin rug exactly next to M'Lady's side of the bed.  I protect her and keep her company all night long.  :)

     So, now it's been a coupla years, and Brodi and I are tight.  I need him and he needs me.  He has fully embraced farm life, and now that he has TheFam's cues figured out, he's "Mr. Ready."  For example, when M'Lady gets out her barn boots, he leaps off his bed and races to the door!  Or, when we're outside, and anybody comes out, he leaps up and gets his ball!  And, when TheWeeLaddie visits, Brodi lets him pull his ears and climb all over him.  M'Lady says that when they, TheFam are sitting quietly, Brodi comes and stares at them "with all the wisdom of the world."  Good Grief.

    He's my pal, and I love him.

    Keep your tail waggin'!