So,,,,,,, a few folks have been asking how Luna is doing. It's honestly hard to imagine a dog anywhere on earth doing better right now. One of our neighbors and one of Luna's best friends added a sobriquet and calls him Luna Tuna. Don't ask. No idea why. Scholars will argue the fine points for years. Anyway, he's great. Our neighborhood of maybe 100 homes is called Los Frailes and Luna pretty much owns it. The whole thing. He's known up and down the streets. I'm sure he goes by multiple names, but Luna holds court.
He is and will forever remain a street dog. Born on the street, lives on the street, and will most likely die on the street. As you know, we got him his shots and during the winter months, he ate his meals and slept inside under our entryway table, and then wandered the neighborhood during the day. He will not accept being forced into a house full time under any circumstance. As the weather has changed, so has his behavior. He stays inside during the day to avoid the heat and wanders the park outside the house at night. After accepting first Deb and then me, he's become very close to three other couples who live on the park, and he literally patrols the houses at night and sleeps on our front porch. Nothing gets past him. We have security cameras on the front door and we can watch him push stray street dogs away from our house or welcome other dogs with whom he is good friends to actually have a drink at his water dish before they move on. They show him the deepest respect. Human or animal, if you approach the park or his friends' homes, he is a force to be reckoned with all night long. He knows where his home is and will protect all of us with his life. And in return, if the roles were reversed, he gets to live a life you and I would dream to have. Safety, comfort, a place to rest in peace, dog and human friends everywhere, a constant source of food around every turn, and a party that never ends. Look around today boss. You got it any better?
I'm including two shots here. One shows Luna in our house, always checking the park for disturbances. The other is a photo I took of him the other morning as he was on patrol a little more than a block away. I rather like it. I was on my way to the grocery store and stopped in front of him. I got out of the car and he just stood there, one third in the sun, two thirds in the shade. Piercing liquid gold eyes. At ease, but slightly ill at ease and alert to any changes in the environment surrounding him. Gentle and fiercely confident. Solid muscle fluid grace. You simply can not control him. All you can do is suggest well. He decides. I love this guy. As I said before, I love Atticus more, but there's not a living thing on this earth I admire more than Luna Tuna. A great guy. I hope we can share his world with him for a long time to come.
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