The puppy we got six months or so ago, currently tips the scales at about a hundred pounds, and he's only half grown. He comes by his size honestly, as he's a yellow cur and Rottweiler mix. The perfect dog for Fred, as he's a big guy. They kinda go together. Fred wanted him for a hunting dog but has proclaimed him 'ruined' by me.

"How? How did I ruin him?" I demanded to know, then I asked the dog. "Did Mama wuin that sweet wittle baby? You darlin' thing!" Hugging his neck. The dog fell over in a lump, his tail thumping the ground so I could scratch his belly.

"Pffft. Never mind."

We were marveling over him the other day. His size, his intelligence, his weird little idiosyncrasies. Like the habit he has of having his nose in everything you're doing. Not pushy or a hindrance, mind you, just watching, head cocked to the side, not missin' a thing.

He follows us constantly, and if we get still anywhere on the property he will come and lay right beside us. If we don't acknowledge his presence, he will place one of his huge paws on our arm, or leg, and just leave it there until we pay attention to him. We have pretty much agreed that he is one of the better and smarter dogs on the place.

"Well, I knew that a long time ago." Fred said.

"How do you mean?"

"Well, just look in his mouth." He peeled back the dog's upper lip and revealed his gums. "Look at his gums, see how dark they are? Black in spots? He's got the 'black mouth'."

"Yeah....so?"

"So the old timers will tell you that that makes for an all around good dog. Good natured, good tempered, very smart." He tapped his own temple and winked.

"Think there's anything to that?" I asked, wondering if Elvis or any of the other dogs have the 'black mouth', and I just didn't know it.

"Who knows. It probably applies mainly to strays and mutts." He shrugged. "But he seems to be a real good dog, and he's got the 'black mouth'."

Uh huh.

Yesterday I was standing at the sink washing dishes. Fred was out front feeding, the red pup following him nearby as usual. I saw it coming, but there was nothing I could do to stop it. Even if I had wanted to call out a warning there wouldn't have been time.

Fred was walking across the yard, minding his own business, lost in his list of things he had to do, when the pup took off at a dead run, shakin' the ground as he went, and leapt into the air, catching Fred right in the middle of the back with both massive front paws, knocking him fully to the ground on his face. Down they went, looking like a Fred pretzel with big dumb dog mustard.

There was about a five second period there where neither of them moved, and then in a rush they began to untangle, the dog yipe-ing his head off and Fred cussing a blue streak.

"You stupid, no good, worthless (censored)! What tha (also censored) are you DOIN'?! Are you trying to cripple us BOTH?!"

By this time they had both found their feet and limped off in different directions, Fred with a scowl, and the pup hanging his head, his tail between his legs. It took about a minute or so before the giggles set in and I had to close the window lest Fred heard me laughing, but I couldn't help myself.

Maybe this 'black mouth' thing takes a while to kick in.