"The Stare"

When Kurt isn't here its kinda obvious. I mean, the truck, which usually sits in the driveway, is gone - often for days at a time. He is also not in the front yard - which he does a fair amount of lately... for some reason. Furthermore, we don't have any security stickers or signs... not that we haven't talked about it - but its been like a 'life insurance' issue for us... often discussed in the tone of "We should really-" but never followed up. (Adding that on my list to discuss - again - when he gets home.... )

("The stare")
So I, brilliant paranoid that I am, have come up with a genius solution to the security issue: every morning, I open our front blinds and let Oscar stand there and "watch" - a command we've been practicing since he was big enough to look out the window. You tell me: would you walk into my house uninvited knowing he lived there?
(Still keeping his eye on me even though I was in the next yard.)
The interesting part about this dog is that he likes (maybe even loves) me - and still I get "the stare". His eyes are dead - no eagerness, no animosity - just a "try it" kind of attitude. I love it!
A lady walked by while I was taking the pictures (he looks much bigger from the street but I had to fully zoom back to get it all in) and I told her I was taking pictures of my security system. She smiled at me (crazy pregnant lady in striped capris with chubby ankles snapping pictures of a house at 0800), glanced at the house, did a double-take and then said, "Oh yeah - that ought to work wonderfully!" :)

Exactly. :)

And all the nose smears on the window might give the impression that he is wild and unpredictable - right? That's what I'll tell myself. Otherwise I just think, "Ick - wash your windows, lady. "
I took him for a walk last night and he is pretty intimidating in the dark: especially when he is protecting me from a basketball left on a lawn (not kidding - hackles up and everything) and a pile of gravel in the street. He gets all stiff, makes himself big and stares the "threat" down. I like that feature - but we'll work on discernment in the coming months nonetheless...
On another note: he runs into the kitchen every time we open the Cheese Whiz jar. Interesting Pavlovian scenario - we've been giving him his antibiotic (which he doesn't like) stuck in a piece of bread and smothered in Cheese Whiz. For a dog that loves it so much, he sure doesn't take his time... it is gone instantly. I think that maybe humans have been given the unique gift from God of being able to savor food - 'cause dogs aren't any good at it. :)
Anyway, I should go - said "security system" is waiting patiently for me to take him for a walk. It just about did him in when I went out to take pictures and didn't take him with me. :) What a suck - he's now pouting on the floor beside me.
Have a great day, everyone!