Merlin, Martha, Mornings and Movies

Everyone who knows us knows we have a thing for big dogs.  

These days, it's Merlin and Martha.  Merlin is a 6 year old Great Pyrenees, who finally just started acting like a Great Pyrenees.  We got him from a shelter, where he had been surrendered, never knowing what a leash was, having never tasting dog food and not socialized in the least.  Around his neck was his "collar", a length of heavy gauge chain secured by a padlock.

After four years with us, I can truly say he's turned into...well...a bit of a cream puff.  He likes to sleep in each morning, and will occasionally walk up to you, demanding attention, by hauling his 130-lb. body into your lap.  Unlike our previous Great Pyrenees, Seiko, Merlin has fears and separation anxieties, but they are of a sweet nature, not the "if you leave, I'm going to tear apart the sofa".  More like sitting by the window and howling as you pull out of the driveway, then five minutes after you're gone he's sprawled out on our bed - the one he's not allowed on.  

Martha is a 2 1/2 year old goofy Newfoundland.  All Newfs are goofy, but Martha makes it an art of sorts.  She eats EVERYTHING, and is the most stubborn animal I have ever known.  Merlin tolerates her well, although a bit of the food aggression he displayed when we first rescued him as reappeared since Martha joined us.  We work on it constantly, but when you have a food-aggressive dog and a food-obsessive dog, things can get pretty noisy come feeding time.  But they've been better lately, and although Merlin usually spends his time trying to get away from Martha's friskiness and clingyness, sometimes he succumbs....

I found them like this the other morning - a sight rarely seen with the two of them:

Aw! How sweet!  "Penny for your thoughts..."

What?

Where are you going?

I laughed myself silly, remembering Madeline Kahn's lines from "Young Frankenstein"...

"...Seven or eight quick ones, and you're off with the boys to boast and brag...YOU BETTER KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!!....  Oh, I think I love him!"

Actually, I'm quite sure she plopped herself down next to him while he was asleep and he probably didn't even know she was there until I woke them up.  But I think in his grogginess, he probably felt warm and cozy next to Martha.  He probably liked snuggling up to her...just so long as no one's looking. :)