This is a tumblelog, kinda like a blog but with short-form, mixed-media posts with stuff I like. Scroll down a bit to start reading, or a bit more to read more about me.
Is it WINTER YET? I’m getting awfully hot in all this fur. My human took me to the groomer the other day, and I feel a lot better, they got a whole ‘nother Elu worth of hair from my undercoat. You know, humans sure are lucky- they can take off their coats in the summer. Oh well, it’s only a few more months and I have been doing a good deal of swimming lately…
I moved out west with my human four years ago. One day, Trish and I loaded up in her small black car with a lot of stuff and drove for a few days. I was a little scared, but mostly excited. Trish had such a positive energy; every time she pet me I could feel her happieness in my fur. We drove and drove, listened to books on tapes, and a lot of music. Sometimes we would ride in silence and Trish would talk to me. She told me about snow, and how I was going to get to jump and roll and play in it. I kinda remember snow from when I was a pup, but I was too young to appreciate it I guess, because this snow stuff was sounding cooler and cooler. She told me we were moving to the mountains because of me… but then she would laugh, so I think it might have been for her a little too.
It was summer though, while we were driving, so it would still be a while until I would get to play in snow. But when we got to the mountains, I did get to go fishing, and running and playing and running! BOY! I LOVE running! And when I was just a year old, I ran a lot! Sometimes I run away from Trish, but it’s not because I don’t love her. I really do love her, but sometimes I need to see what’s just beyond where I can see from where I am standing… I just need to run to it, then see it. Then I see something else that’s even farther away, so I run to it. But I’m getting off the subject…
We settled into a house with a lot of humans and a lot of dogs. I had three dog-housemates and even more human ones. But it was this house where I met my best friend Kipper. Kipper is a blond dog, who can’t tell you as much about her heritage as I can. All she really knows is that she thinks her momma had some husky in her… and maybe some lab? But Kipper is a happy dog, she and her human have been together for about six years. Kipper doesn’t really like to talk about her life before Brandi, but she assures me that she is super happy with her current human situation, and tells me I am a lucky dog to have been paired up with a good one from the start. Kipper is a good dog, she listens and obeys her human. I’m a little more of a rebel than that. I mean, Trish is usually right, and if I listen to her, I do get to do cool stuff. But sometimes you gotta break the rules a little.
One time, I convinced Kipper to come running with me while no one was looking. She was a ‘fraidy-cat the whole time, complaining about how her human was going to be upset with her. ”Oh get over it, Brandi will love you just the same no matter how bad you are! Quit being a baby,” I howled as I ran through the sage brush. I had the scent of a pica, and I really wanted to catch up with it. Kipper followed me, whining the whole way. I lost the pica, but didn’t really care, because we came across a filed of yellow and purple flowers! They all smelled so good, and there had been at least twenty other animals though here in the last few hours. There were so many smells and so many colors, and so many things to pee on and roll in. By this point Kipper was having a blast, she had almost totally forgotten about rules and boundaries and Brandi… then as quickly has it had begun, it was over. Trish and Brandi had caught up with us. But I had a feeling that this was only the beginning of many more adventures…
Prologue: The early years.
I was born in Cherokee, North Carolina. My mother was warm and gentle, but strong and protective. She was beautiful. I don’t remember much about my first few weeks, but I remember romping and playing with my sister and three brothers. I met Jack, my first dog house-mate, one day while chewing on my brother’s foot. I played with him, and my mother seemed to like him. The next morning, I left with Jack and his human. Jack’s human had a girlfriend, who was to be my human. I slept a lot in the car, snuggled with Jack who quickly became my friend and mentor. Jack told me that I would like my human a lot. She really likes to snuggle, and smells delicious! I was getting really excited about meeting her.
It was love at first sight, me and Trish. She named me Elu & told me it means “beautiful” in Navajo. She wanted to give me a Cherokee name, but there wasn’t one that fit quite like Elu fits for me. I think she’s right. I love the name, and it makes me feel beautiful. When Trish calls me she sings it: “eeeeeeeeee-LOU!” It’s so nice to hear her call- although I don’t always feel like running back to her right away.
to be continued…
Hi! My name is Elu, and I am a wolf. Okay, not really- but my grandfather was. I’m really just a dog. I’m Malamut and Timber wolf on my mom’s side and Husky on my dad’s side… I think. I was born January 23, 2006- which makes me four human-years old.
My human always tells me that it must be so ruff being an Elu, but I think it’s pretty fun! So I’m going to tell you all about it, one day and one picture at a time.
