From: li@Data-IO.COM (Phyllis Rostykus)
Subject: Re: Canines Talking (was Re: RAPTURE)
Organization: Data I/O Corporation
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 06:51:28 GMT

In article <1992Nov16.101319@twinpeaks.gsfc.nasa.gov> xrjdm@calvin.gsfc.nasa.gov  writes:
>Sabra's ears perk so far that their tips meet over the top of his head, and
>starts licking Fezzik's face joyfully. Kander sniffs the Standard Dog Intro
>Sniff and then starts panting loudly, shifting her weight back and forth
>between her left and right, eyes halfway closed.
>
>"Ah, Kandy sonar. Happy, huh, girl?"

Liralen giggles at the dance, and at the pup licking Fezzik's face.  

[Teddy introduces himself to Fez as well and indicates a willingness to
play]
>Teddy arches himself into a semi circle and then gallops around in place.

Fezzik nudges in and starts running around Teddy... "Fezzik." Liralen says
in a softly warning voice.  Fezzik stops and looks up at her.  "Not enough
room, kid...

>"Okay, Ted. You guys are too big to play rough in here. You'll bump
>people." Teddy bounces once more, then engages in mutual sniffing of necks
>and shoulders with Fezzik. He lies down next to Liralen and Fezzik, 
>eybrows twitching as he looks back and forth between them.

Fezzik sighs and lies down next to Teddy and touches Teddy's nose with his
own and the looks up at Joe and Liralen.

>"Hi," says the man. "I'm Joe. This is Teddy, Sabra, Sambuca, Sterling, and
>Kandy. Hey, Booka! Bookabookabooka!" Sambuca turns around and dives into his
>lap at full speed, tongue flailing with abandon. "If you want to be Booka's
>friend for life, just call her like that. She's pretty enthusiastic, though."

Liralen laughs and pets Sambuca's head.  Fezzik jumped up at the dive, but
then sat back down, again next to Teddy, when it appears that she isn't
diving at him.

>Kandy is big and barrel-shaped, almost like a bear cub. She has only a little
>beard, and just a little hair over her eyes. Teddy has a goatee and mustache
>that make him look a bit like the Insidious Doctor Fu Manchu. His eyebrows
>are luxuriant, almos completely hiding his eyes. He's much thinner than Kandy,
>tucked up almost like a greyhound or Doberman. Booka looks like her mom in 
>the face, but is built like her dad. Sterling looks almost like his dad,
>except his coat is fluffier and has a silvery hue to it. Sabra doesn't really
>look like either of his parents, but he has the strong, blocky build proper
>to a Bouvier des Flandres. He has only a little beard and his eyebrows just
>dangle into his eyes, which show all of the sweetness of his personality.
>All of the others are a dark brown, black and silvery brindle; Sabra is
>a lighter brownish fawn color.

"Are they all Bouviers?" she asks, smiling, and scritches Sabra under the
chin.  Then, using both hands properly, she scritches him behind the ears,
rubbing his neck a little as well, among the soft, curly fur.  

>> Then, softly, "Wow.  Five of 'em, and I thought Fezzik was a handful..."

>"Yep, but everybody can use all the dog love they can get. Right, Fezzik?" as 
>he scratches Fezzik's ears and chest. "I can't think of anywhere better to 
>bring dogs named after drinks than here..."

Fezzik's eyes close at the scratches behind his ears, and a rear leg thumps
when Joe scritches the shield-shaped white on his chest.

She laughs, "Indeed... to both.  We almost picked up another Newf a couple
of weeks ago, because our vet's assistant had found him pretty much starving
and abandoned in their mom's neighborhood.  He was so tall, his head was at
my waist, about a year old, and had infections in both ears.  The vet said
he'd probably be about 180 pounds filled-out.  They were looking for a home
for him, and they gave us first shot because they knew how well we were
taking care of Fezzik.  Turned out another family, with about 3 acres for
him to run around him wanted the big pup passionately, so we said fine; but
if that family decided that they really didn't want him, we'd take him as a
safety net."  She smiles, "But it turns out that they enjoy him as much as
they thought they would.  So that's been neat.  And Fezzik gets to remain
the spoiled brat of the household..." she says it with some fondness as she
tugs a silky black ear and then ruffles the grey head next to it.

--
Liralen Li
li@Data-IO.com
Newsgroups: alt.callahans