Butch: Early Years

He's a true product of the Midwest hailing from Omaha, Nebraska. Was it fate? This cute boy I know (well, actually she is a mother of two and a grandmother, but she looks like a cute boy) giggled at me one day, "Dan, there's a dog that looks like you."  She went on to explain that she had spotted a dog I looked like in Les Chiens de Yann Arthus-Bertrand. I was not looking for a dog As I recall, I brushed it off as a funny joke, and went on without thinking about it.The "joke" came up again when her sister was visiting from Omaha . This time, I had to look at the picture and indeed I could see the resemblance -- in facial hair!  Gracious in not laughing out loud So now, several people were looking at me, smiling (they were being gracious, I thought, in not laughing out loud) enjoying the dog that looked like me.The sister then volunteered that she knew a breeder who had a dog that was available.  I pretended interest so everyone would enjoy the joke, and then the issue was dropped. The sister went home to Omaha, but phone calls ensued over the next several weeks between sisters.  Suddenly, my friend, the cute "boy," was deciding she was going to buy the dog for me. Did I want a dog? I still was not interested in getting a dog, but couldn't easily back out now.  I was confident this plan to buy me a dog-I-looked-like would implode under its own weight. So I breezily acquiesced when a plan developed to call the breeder.  I let it slide further and pictures arrived -- the ones you see here. He was sort of cute, I thought.  Something about this picture leapt out at me. Okay, I thought, but if I get a dog it has to be something special, with "personality".  When I present my requirements to the breeder, this plan will fall apart.  Was I good enough for the dog? But you know how dog breeders are: I had to pass an "interview" about owning the dog -- to determine if I was good enough for the dog! I must admit a little excitement was beginning to develop in me, but I was determined not to let it show.  After all, how did I feel about my face being compared to a dog? Not that great. It was the lilt in my voice  The day of the call came. Although the breeder started to question me, I noticed she began talking as if the dog were mine within about 10 seconds. Later I realized she must have heard the "lilt" in my voice. I persevered with my requirements that the dog had to have personality. She guaranteed me that the dog certainly had personality, even at nine months, his current age He was coming for a tryout She said she'd ship the dog for a tryout -- to be returned if we didn't like each other. There was no way I could back out now. Butch -- he already had this name -- and I were going to meet.

Okay, I could see why people said there was a resemblance. What a mustache! Here he was at his traveling weight, before he "filled out" and got that sausage body on those spindly legs.