Since Last We Saw Our Hero…

Written by Tom Being Tom

I know I’ve been a bad boy.

Look, this last month has been difficult. Busy to say the least. Plus I had to put things in perspective. Spread some hope and progress. Remember why. But I realize in giving you all those things I neglected to share with you stuff like this:

And that just may be the unforgivable sin.

But instead of rubbing my nose in it, swatting me with a newspaper, or putting me in the kennel for a couple of hours, what say you let me make it up to you? What say you let me try?

Marvel has been spectacular. I mean, really. I think I mentioned before that he appears to be karma the universe owed to me for the constant aggravation Ludo put me through in his first 2 years. Oh man, some of you remember the stories. Crate escapes. Shredded furniture. Back talk. Ludo was the epitome of the bad dog. My problem child. And when he wasn’t destroying plaster dragons or otherwise causing Mrs C and me to cry out “what the hell are you doing now?!” he was running into a skunk blast, having an allergic reaction to shampoo, or getting a poke in the eye from a low-hanging tree. He was cursed. And we lamented it.

But Ludo turned out to be a fine dog, and an excellent big brother (after some early doubt). And Marvel? He’s my morning companion when I read. Pretty good on a leash already. He’ll shake hands if not too distracted. He sleeps through the night, virtually every night, and I cannot tell you how much we, as working parents, appreciate that. He’s a Marvel, through and through.

(Which reminds me, maybe it’s all in the name. “Ludo” means “I play” and, boy, that one never stops.)

I took my little Marvel into the vet today, for his final round of puppy shots, and put him on that scale. First, let me tell you, he was an angel. Ludo, even Moxie, are damn near obnoxious in the waiting room. Whining. Fidgeting. Hard to handle alone, and a nightmare together. Marvel sat. He interacted with those around him. Other guests told me he was extremely well-behaved for his age. The vet tech told me he was darn good on a leash already. It was nice. My boy is only 106 days old. 3 1/2 months. That’s the terrible twos in dog years.

I mean, he has his moments. He’s starting to dig in the yard. He’s destroying a tree because he has a bark fetish. He scratches at doors, especially the closet door where we keep his food. Nobody’s perfect. But still…

The big story of the day was the weigh-in.

39 pounds.

Let me put that in perspective:

The average 3-month old male golden retriever weighs 23 pounds. The average 4-month old male golden retriever weighs 33 pounds. The average 5-month old male golden retriever weighs 42 pounds.

I think Marvel was raised by a breeder from Jurassic Park.

A beautiful golden mother, a beautiful golden father, and just a splash of T-Rex blood.

We’ll see if that slows down. It has to, because if Marvel continues to be 70% bigger than his peers then as an adult he’ll be a 112-pound fuzzball. I think that would be some kind of record.

Thank you, my friends, for indulging me today and for your patience. It’s been 25 days since my last photo dump, and this is what has been happening since then. Be well, be kind, and love one another like you’re all 112-pound fuzzballs. 🙂

Without further adieu:

Til next time, then!

34 thoughts on “Since Last We Saw Our Hero…”

  5. OMG Tom, cuddle-fest! They are adorable! the only reason I don’t get a dog is that my cats would murder me in my sleep. If I ever wake up dead, tell em the cats did it! xxx Good to see ya mate.

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  8. It was more than worth the wait. Marvel is indeed a marvel. Even if he is a bit precocious, though–or maybe more than a bit–he needs to be reminded that he can’t drink beer until he’s three.

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  9. How do you even stand the cuteness?! Lucky he’s a goodboi because he’s gonna be a big one–Titus is half black Lab and half Golden and he’s 100 lbs. Great for scaring away strangers but I can’t walk him since he gets so distracted by just about everything:-)

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    1. I believe he will approach that level of weight, judging by his current rate of mass acquisition. He’s remaining svelte, though, so it appears he’s just an overall big boi. The breeder was in the store yesterday and he says his brother, the other tank, is equally gigantic. Good genes. So far, he’s pretty focused, though (unlike Ludo, who is much like Titus in his inability to resist distraction). Happy Tuesday! I’ll be heading over to your Sunday update very shortly… 🙂

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  10. I love the pictures and stories and hope you continue to share, but even more importantly keep enjoying every moment of time that you can with them. I don’t know if you have seen or not, but my baby snuff has cancer. While at the moment I can’t imagine getting another, your pictures help me remember to focus on all the fun we’ve had over the years. I raise a glass of coors light to you and your family tom. Please keep the pictures coming!

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    1. Will do, Grace! I had not seen, and that’s heartbreaking, particularly when it is beyond our power to help. Hopefully Snuff still has plenty of time left to make more memories, but always – as you said – cherish the ones already created and enjoy the ones left to come. Cheers to you and yours, my friend! 🍻

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    1. Thank you, Mona! I remember a time when we had three dogs (like now), but also 4 cats (and a bird). They all got along famously (well, the bird stayed safely in cage). But what a handful! What kind of dog is Buddy? We love the pups!

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      1. Tom,
        Wow, you did have a handful! I can say with absolute certainty that Buddy is a genuine 50 lb., high-energy, strong, smart mutt. I have no idea how much of what is in him. He was rescued from the pound by my Dad, who then couldn’t take care of him, so he ended up with me and my family in a house full of cats who don’t care much for him. Anyway, if you ever check out my site and look around a little, you’ll find pictures of Bud here and there. If you figure out what he is, I’d love your input! And Marvel is sooo adorable! 🙂 Mona

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  13. Pingback: Marvel Chronicles, Vol 5 – Tom Being Tom

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