The Belgian Stalker
Max is my main stalker. Max is a Belgian Sheepdog; one of some noteriety I might add. He was once rated the #1 Belgian Sheepdog in the Southeast. He’s been to Westminster twice and has his U.S. championship. Most importantly, he’s our Max and we love him.
Max is always smiling; almost perpetually. His mouth is always open, and his smile is so wide, that you get a close-up view of his front teeth and upper gums. Then he will typically sit in front of you and give you his paw. A sneeze or usually mulitple sneezes generally follow. He smiles so broadly, that he irritates his nose to the point of triggering a sneeze.
After using the facility in the middle of the night yesteday, I had trouble falling back asleep. Not wanting to disturb my wife, I went to one of the spare bedrooms. My wife tells me, Max was going crazy looking for you. He was going from one room to the next looking for you and sniffing the air. Then he went outside on the deck and in the backyard continuing his search. She says he was crazed. I was still sleeping behind a closed door.
Max searches for me every morning and when he finds me, if I am not already dressed, he begins to ravenously lick me wherever there is any exposed skin. Everyday. He wakes up like a small child who remembers its Christmas Day and he’s got a truckload of presents under the tree. For Max, my salty skin is the presumed object of his palate and oral fixation. He licks so long and hard, that he becomes out of breath. He has this crazed look, like an addict suffering withdrawl symptoms until he gets his morning fix of me. I think it’s the saltiness of my skin that drives Max crazy. It’s good to see the old fellow so excited, running to me so fast, and jumping up to make tongue to skin contact. But Max, you’ve got to calm down. What makes Max run to stalk me? Only Max’s taste buds know for sure. :o)
