A Man and His Dog

They say you can tell a lot about a man by the company he keeps. Even more so when you're talking about that furry, four-legged pal that slobbers over everything.

Never actually believed such unscientific crock till Fabulous Felix brought home his pup for a week when he first moved in. Gregarious golden retriever, all bright, sunny, bouncing energy with an affectionate friendliness that extended even to total strangers. Hence the irrational impulse to slobber over fearful mailmen at the gate rather than bark furiously over the unwelcome intrusion.

Paul : That's no guard dog. Isn't he territorial at all?
Felix : No. 
Paul : He's kinda dumb.
Felix : No, he isn't!
Paul : Your agreeable dog just galloped up to a passing stranger and licked him.
Felix : So? He's friendly!
Paul : Trust me, he'd probably happily scamper around your bloodied murderer after you've been stabbed repeatedly.    
Felix : Possibly. 
Paul : I'd want a dog who'd kill on command. 

Friendly, frisky and flirtatious. Yes, there is more than a passing resemblance between owner and dog.

Grrrrrowl!!

Apparently we tend to favour kind of dogs that are a bit like ourselves. A hypothesis further proven when Mercurial Marshall, frightfully fearful all on his lonesome, decided to get a canine companion for his bachelor pad. Since he's ... what we'd kindly call vertically challenged, it amused us mightily when he chose a similarly petite pet. A tiny scampering Maltese with a high-pitched whine is exactly the sort of dog we'd have gotten for him.

Though Netherfield has space enough for a dog, I don't think I'd be able to commit the time and energy to training a new pet. Would be far too tempted to let the canine loose on the pesky birds next door. If I could though, I would certainly choose a German Shepherd or even a Siberian Husky. Wonder what that says about me!

Oddly enough Charming Calvin is into slinky felines. I would have thought he'd be paired with a gentle, docile basset hound.