Cammy Cam (#2 in the Dog series)

As I mentioned in a previous post, we have two Shetland Sheepdogs (Shelties) named Mandy and Cameron. 


Cameron is the better looking sibling. He's about 5 pounds heavier, 3 inches bigger, and infinitely more freakish.

Oh my Handsome Cam!

He has a few states of being:

• Drunk with affection
• Giddy with the anticipation of affection
• Optimistically hoping for affection
• Bug-eyed anxiety
• Self-wetting terror
• Asleep

The dogs are rescues, saved from a puppy mill. They were poorly socialized before they got to their foster family, and Cam got the worst of their neurotic traits. He licks. Compulsively. And barks at the slightest sound outside or upstairs. Compulsively. And wets himself when he gets scared. And he has a "Tail of Destruction" that knocks things off the coffee table. And knocks over block towers. HeyMama frequently tells him, "Stop wagging me Cameron!" And I think he eats poop. I haven't caught him in the act, but I have my reasons for suspecting it. (shudder). Dogs really are gross sometimes... We'll save the giardia story for another day...

Just look at that face!

But just look at his face. He's so handsome. Can you see his doggie smile? And he's just so earnest. That's pure love and adoration in his eyes. That's pure joy there.

Happy Cam

When does he look happiest? When he leaps into my lap and rolls on his back and tries to reach up and lick my face. Ok, so he looks similarly happy in BestestHusband's lap. And he did adore my pregnant belly, and would drape himself across my lap, in total doggy bliss.

Belly-induced bliss.

He was my constant shadow through both pregnancies.

We sing songs to the dogs. To the tune of "Danny Boy", the song usually starts out, "Oh Cammy Cam, you are my freakish puppy, oh Cammy Cam, you really are a freak..."and then it changes to address his most freakish behavior of that day. At that point, he's lying on his back getting a rubdown, hind legs flailing wildly in the air. There's a pretty good chance someone's going to get kicked and scratched at that point... Which is part of his freakish charm.

Cameron hiking with his backpack.

I blame his freakishness on a head injury he got the first year in our household. But that's a story for another day...