Close to the actual shot I want.

He can stand more squarely, head lifted up higher, neck straighter and he looks great in profile when he does. Full-on pose mode. And then he moves so this is not a bad compromise.

A friend of D’s asked if she could look after his dogs while he is away for a night. She said Yes. They arrived yesterday (and thankfully are going today). They epitomise everything I dislike about dogs.
They are constantly pleased to see me, their tails never stop wagging, they seem to want to be under my feet, they scamper around, they sit and look all forlorn at me. I had to come downstairs in the early hours and as I opened the door to the lounge they were both sat there wagging their tails so hard they were actually wobbling. It’s that ‘Dogs worship you while cats expect you to worship them’ thing. Annoys me intensely.
The reason why Winston is cool is that first he’s huge. If you are going to have a dog, have a dog. He does none of this fawning rubbish. Get back after being out and he’ll say hello and that’s about it. Play Hide and Seek while out and he’ll be momentarily pleased then he’ll charge off. He doesn’t scamper – though at at least 13/14st that would be tricky – and he doesn’t fawn and look forlorn. Sure he’s got that droopy look but that’s because his skin is too heavy for his face (“No J, he is not sad, he is not asking, he doesn’t look hard done to – it’s just how he always looks so no he can’t have it – he’s a dog” “Yes, I am harsh :) “). But Winston isn’t a wuss. He’s a great big dog and 99% of the time he acts like one. The two little wretches from the friend’s house (who our cat isn’t fazed by at all and who is bigger than one of them) are just so…pointless.

People who have normal dogs and who find remote controls crunched and chewed generally only have themselves to blame – after all, they left it where the dog could get it.
People who have Great Danes and who left their remote control in the middle of the dining table before finding it crunched and chewed just sigh….. remotesrus will be getting more business.

A couple of years ago at a post-race F1 interview one of the drivers was asked what they thought of the Ferrari backend as that is all they had seen all race. It’s like that with Winston – I am as familiar with how his backend looks because I’m always following and he’s a big dog (90kg?). So yesterday I can’t miss the fact that his nuts were swollen and very red. A long walk in the cold failed to change things so today we go to the vet. Winston never stands still at the vet but he needed them examining. She’s a very attractive vet and he didn’t move a muscle. He just stood there letting her have her way. As you would :) Before we went, J looked it up on the net just to see what could be up. I asked her if she’d found anything. “You should go to the vet if the bog’s testicles are swollen or broken”. I crossed my legs when I heard that last word. As you would…