Here, There & Everywhere...SAVE!!!!

Like Bob, it's not easy to take a photo of Marty's face up close. It's like this dog can sense when I do that. It's as if he knows I take pictures so that I can post something online.

If it were possible, I think Marty inherited this trait from their human-brother, our son, who practically chides me each time I violate his, uh, "privacy policy". Marty knows when I have my phone-cam on. And he does his best to avoid it. Wants nothing to do with me when I have it in my hand.

However, off camera? Marty wants everything to do with me. He is on me ALL THE TIME. Even when I pee in the bathroom, he's there. He'd watch me do my business. He would even try to sit on my lap sometimes. As I do my business! (His mother used to watch me, too but has since learned to respect my "privacy policy".)

Marty is over-eager whenever he sees me. And when I say over-eager? Think of a yapping dog, with his tail wagging, his body twitching and his ears slightly pointed downwards-backwards. It's a pain to be followed by a dog all the time, but Marty knows the power of looking cute and irresistible. He's a master of this (which is why of all the dogs, we think he's most handsome). I turn to jelly each time he works his charm.

He also loves my lap. So much. Perhaps wants to marry my lap. I dunno what drug Marty took to fall in love with my lap. But as soon as he sees me sit down anywhere, he takes ownership of it. Remember how as kids, we try to claim a spot we want, or a seat we want, we would shout "Save!" to announce to anyone within hearing distance that it is ours? That's how I imagine Marty does it every time. His siblings know fully well my lap is his and his alone.

He has a quirk, however.

When it's time to sleep at night and all the dogs are on the bed with us? Marty actually prefers to sleep under the TV. There's a certain time at night where, after he's had enough of my lap, he jumps off the bed and stays under the TV till it's time to wake up in the morning.

I find that weird. Like an auto-shut off feature. My lap, however, finds that a relief.

Anyway, this photo was taken about two days ago by Sean, while Marty and him were playing "Pretend Marty's a raccoon".  I don't know how that game goes.  My human kid and dog kids have their own language.  But this one's awfully cute!

The raccoon formerly known as Marty.

And yes, we have a photo of Marty this time. He didn't shy away from the phone-cam. Because that's not Marty. That's a raccoon!