straight up.

so,
there's this thing that has been giving me a little anxiety.
yeah.
a little stressie-stress all up in my chest.
you see,
crabtree's ears weren't up.
huh?
neighbors, that's a thing.
the pups have gotta have the big ups.
bull terriers have pointy upright erect and alert ears.
otherwise,
they're sh!tty at being bull terriers.
rules is rules.
the standard for heroic specimens of battle-beastliness is very clear.
and that's why i was concerned that the gross calcium upgrade
i've been feeding him wasn't doing it's thing.
at all.
you don't want to gross yourself out every day for nothin', do you?
well, i don't.
that's for sure.
so,
i've had some stress that crabby might've NOT
been as expert as i would've hoped-
what with one defective and indifferent ear, an' that.
and it's been bumming me out,
because that means that taping his tips together in a binding situation,
reminiscent of ancient chinese courtesans, was due to begin today.
and that's been effing with me all week.....
until yesterday, that is!
talk about a buzzer beater-
he finally got on board with the burly cartilage construction i've been encouraging,
and his whole head is looking verrrrrry rad, all at once.
word up.
guys,
check out this upright citizen's fine upstanding pointy totoro ears:

BOOM!
twin ^^ arrows of still-not-listening-to-me-at-allness!
so handsome?
SO handsome!
he couldn't care less,
unless there's treats,
in which case, he'll grudgingly pretend to give over half a sh!t.
teleport:

sooooo many biscuits were harmed in the making of this photo.
he's getting big, and occupying all my time.
last night was a tooth-and-claw title fight tournament between us,
and i'll admit that for a little minute i was worried i wouldn't win.
luckily,
he's still small,
which helped considerably.
the thing is,
he is still just a playful little puppy,
but,
he's MY playful little puppy,
and i'm not about to let his instincts determine the rewriting of any of
the house rules in the Folk Life & Liberty Fortress.
nature wins,
but up in here, at the threshold of the woodsly goodness,
nurture is strictly enforced.
*
those ears, however.
yuuuuuuup.

those ears are looking good.
and looking good is something i hold in high esteem.
he's got weird eyes, he's got a big, long, dumb head, he's a stout little potato,
but he's exceeding the parameters of what it means to be what he is.
ugly can be beautiful, kids.
remember that.,
because pretty can only remain average.
too much is the right amount,
and that means we're on the right track over here;
never quiet, never soft.....