Anthropomorphic Puppy Love

Dear Everett,

Long ago in 1994 when we brought you home, you maybe slept with Kechel once or twice. I have photos of one time you slept NEAR him, but not close enough to share body heat. I do remember how you fit between his front and back legs when he stretched out, in your starved bony frame, but do not have the photos to show the close proximity.

When you were still young, and Ansel came to us as a baby, you two never slept together. Never. When Paisle came to us, after you'd crossed the rainbow bridge, she tried and tried to cuddle with Ansel, who (after various forms of complaint) would either get up and leave, or force Paisle to move.

Well now here we are, present day, and Beanie and her boyfriend Marshal huddle almost daily. If Beanie did not sleep in the coveted location (my bed), they would probably squish onto the same doggie bed all night.

Here they are, after a morning of exploring the back yard:

Is it yet more anthropomorphism, if I say the cold weather is having more of an effect on Marshal, than on Ansel? Last night I had to pick up Big Boy, to bring him to bed. Sure, I could have left him on the doggy bed where he was, but I at least wanted the opportunity to cover him with a wool blanket in the BR doggy bed, to ward off the inevitable chill in the night. Big Boy still struggles to rise after exercise, and in the morning when we first venture forward. I think he is close to 80lbs now--your size, Eve--but I wonder if his growth (and weight gain) are having adverse impact on his strained hind quarters.

What is wrong with him? If only we knew. Like Ora, disk dog champion and fellow pit bull who's been devastated by an abscess near her spine. Ora went from leaping after flying orbs of plastic, to not having control of her hind quarters in one week. She is still incapacitated, almost three weeks later, with various cocktails of pain killers, antibiotics, and now steroids. What happened? What caused her sudden, and completely out of character, decline? Why is Marshal so uncomfortable? I would never equate Ora's pain to M's, as she is several years his senior, and without firm medical diagnosis. Yet neither of these beloved family members are capable of telling us what hurts. Does Marshal have hip displaysia? Is his stiffness just part of the recovery process, from his broken femur? Why is such a young, and growing puppy taking so long to heal?

I wish you could tell me, Eve. So funny, to know they are essentially the same frame, though Beanie is so petite compared to her boyfriend, Big Boy:

I hope Big Boy is 100% soon.

His girlfriend is waiting for him.