Strut Your Mutt '98

"Strut Your Mutt" is an annual fundraising event for Animal Welfare League, the local shelter that two of my wonder mutts came from. This year, the 3 mile walk was held in Oak Forest's Yankee Woods.

Alex is "the man." Despite a horrible case of viral diarrhea contracted from our foster puppy, Alex was still ready and waiting, donned in his custom Wal-mart shirt, on the morning of the walk. He certainly does look like a Gold's Gym wanna-be (minus the bulging muscles and steroids).

Having had only four hours of sleep the proceeding night, I was not exactly cheery about being up at 8 am, not to mention that I am a well established morning grump. However, duty called, so I posed for a picture with my little walk partner.

And we're off...
Despite its seemingly wooded location, most of the walking path was situated in a clearing. The 3 mile trip was directly in the baking sun and 90 degree heat. To make it even worse, the water stops, at the mile markers, served only sun-heated water! However, the water did prove to be a life saver, so to speak, when Alex dribbled diarrhea all over his fuzzy white butt at the start of the walk. We were able to somewhat clean him up and make his rear end a bit more presentable. This also hindered other dogs from instantly seeking out his stained rear. Nothing draws in a passing dog's sniffing nose like fresh fecal matter.

Alex remainded his perky self, accompanied by his pesky habits, for the duration of the trip. Despite being neutered for over two years, Alex still engaged in the usual male sexual behaviors, especially marking and displaying. However, because his shirt was a bit baggy, he succeeded to repeatedly mark his shirt rather than his intended target (tree, bench, dog, pole, sign, grass, etc.). Before we were even half way through, he drenched the entire underside of his shirt and transformed it into a lovely urea yellow.

Finally, we made it to the finish line and the shade. Before having a seat on the picnic bench, Alex managed to mark the "Strut Your Mutt" official event sign. He also actively displayed to nearly every dog in sight, male or female. Perhaps he is experiencing a sexual identity crisis or gender disorder...

In this picture, it appears as if I have engaged in a philosophical discussion with my furry companion. Indeed, I very well may have: delirium works wonders on the human mind.

Horray, Alex and I collected the most money in pledges and won the top prize- an oversized basket filled with champagne and a Friday night stay at a nearby hotel (within 15 minutes from home). In case it isn't excruciatingly obvious, Alex refused to sit at all. Luckily, his butt was not noticeably diarrhea stained for this moment. Sure, the other dogs sat nicely by their owners, but my dog had to make me look like an ass. Next, he tried to mate (without testes, of course) with the dog next to him.

Finally, the event culminated in a rush to cars. Alex was ecstatic to be car bound, and joyously fled, his overtired owners in tow. Of course, James photographically documented our journey, and also having had as little sleep as myself the previous evening, was similarly exhausted.

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