Our star this week is Bruno. His first person-mom writes:
"A girlfriend that wanted me to have a dog bought me Bruno for payment for watching her
two little boys. She took me to a toy poodle farm in Rancho Cordova in 1994. The cages
were clean and the dogs were clean and they seemed very happy. I picked Bruno out
because he tottered up to me, very friendly and very confident. At that time I also had
an Arabian horse named Markeema and she was very gentle and friendly, and Bruno was not
afraid to sit up on the saddle with me when I would ride. He was very trusting and so
smart. It took me only ten minutes to teach him to roll over and sit. He also learned
and loved to jump through a hoop that he still does to this day, for goodies of course.
I carried him around constantly like a baby, just like I treated my kittens when they
were babies. In this way, I wanted to be sure that I made a strong bond and he was
dependant on my like I was his mother. During the time he was a very small puppy, I
was living with my parents and they became very attached to him also. They already had a
cocker spaniel, Gracie that took to Bruno immediately.
Bruno
"Bruno had a really unusual antic that he would act out. If Bruno did not want to do
something that you wanted him to do, he would grovel at your feet like he was being abused
and assume a prostrate position to try to get sympathy. It was very humiliating. Anybody
who did not know how spoiled Bruno was and how we fulfilled his every whim, would think
that he had been abused! It was disgusting! Bruno knew how to manipulate with that kind
of behavior. You would feel guilty even though you had done nothing! He was very
successful in achieving his own way. For the most part, all he wanted to do was
please you and he will filled with love. He used to like to pretend that he was a very
vicious dog when I would play tug of war with him with something. Even though he is a
small dog, he knew how to show off and exhibit his sharp little teeth to be quite
intimidating. At times he could fool me that he was going to try to give me a nasty bite,
but, he never did. He is a very good watchdog and knows somebody is coming even though
they have not knocked or pressed the doorbell.
"When I had to move I did not have the heart to take him from my mother and father who
were so attached to him. Bruno and my mom are very close, and he is a very faithful and
entertaining companion to my mom. When mom comes down to visit, of course, since Bruno
is part of the family, he is here at every occasion. I make sure he has dinner plates of
specialty food for the holidays. When he does come over, the first thing he does is beg me
for the treat that he is used to getting when he comes. He will roll over and perform his
dance, even before the food appears.
Bruno performing for treats
"He loves the cats. Sasha is his favorite buddy. The cats are never worried about
Bruno hurting them but sometimes he can get on their nerves by trying to initiate a game
of chase that they are not interested in at the time.
Bruno and Sasha
"Bruno also gets jealous if any family member leans down to give my mother a hug or a
kiss. He barks and gets very upset and doesn't want anybody to touch my mother. I don't
understand fully his reason for that. I think Bruno has a wild imagination!"
