Hound Tannenbaum

I've been spending quality time with my dog this week and the other day I took her for a walk. During the walk, she climbed under some pine trees and emerged with this festive tail decoration. She knew it was there and sprinted down the sidewalk. The pine cross was there to stay. It was so tangled in her fur that I probably could have left it there forever. This was the dog's worst nightmare, and my dream as a photographer.

In terms of photographing her, however, the fact my dog is a dog created problems. I wanted to photograph her tail, but she wanted to sniff the lens. I wanted to get it out of her fur, and she wanted to bite my hand. I stepped out onto the patio with her to snap some photos of her in the snow, and I shut the door to prevent warm air from escaping. No sooner did I do that did I find out that the door was locked. It was thirty below and I was in my socks. The dog seemed vindicated for my harassment. She coolly crept under the steps while I bounced bow-legged across the patio like an attacking ape. Luckily, the side-door was unlocked.

For fun, I've posted a chronology of my negotiations with Pepper. Guess who's winning in each photo.



Answer: Pepper



A: Hmm... debatable



A: Pepper



A: Frustration sets in.



A:Pepper



Pepper: Why does she insist on pestering me?



A: ME!



I also discovered my dog is a fan of Josh Groban's Christmas carol cd. She's not into decorations, but she is into dancing/shaking/bobbing her head to Christmas crooners. I would have made a video, but I'm afraid that is even worse than getting photos.