Search

The picture to the right was taken a few weeks after the one above. You can see that I am still getting the best of those people by giving them my "aren't I cute" look. I do retrieve the dummy now and then. Us Boykins are good retrievers from land and water. You will note the nice curls I am developing on my ears. Still, I'm fairly slick haired. There is quite a variation in Boykin's coats, going all the way from wavy to quite curly. We'll see how I turn out. As you can see, I am really dark brown. I don't have a single white hair on me. I am almost impossible to see in a dark room, and my people keep tripping over me when I stop in the utility room in the evening or early morning.

August 1999

I just learned that my real name isn't Bert, it's Albert Alligator. I wonder why they named me that? I did hear those people say that my mistress is one of the major collectors of Walt Kelly's Pogo material, and Albert Alligator was Pogo's cigar smoking friend. I think that maybe it's also because they keep yelling "ow" when I bite their feet, ankles, arms and hands. Boy, that's fun. They think I'm sleeping somewhere and I just sneak up and grab with those needle like puppy teeth I've got. Those people have got so many small bloody spots and scabs on their hands and feet they look like they've been rolling in a rose bush. Actually, they've just been bitten by Albert Alligator!

October 1999

Hi everyone – I’m back. These pictures were taken in mid-October. I am now approaching 5 months of age, and weigh 22 pounds. I’m all muscle and bone, and can get just about anywhere I want. My "boss" spent much of the summer building a pond in the back yard, and finally got it filled. It’s a really neat place to cool down or get a drink. You’ll also note that I’ve learned about decoys. I have also discovered that our pasture is full of gophers. I have yet to catch one, but I sure have fun digging for them. As you can see, I can really make the dirt fly. It's great to go out when the boss irrigates the pasture. The ground gets real soft, and all those ditches I have dug fill up with water. It is also lots of fun to run down the lateral ditches when they are full of water.

To get you up to date, I am now a strong and muscular 7 months old. I now weigh 28 pounds, and still have my beautiful brown coat. I'm just about ready to drag my master out of his chair by the shoe  when he is reading the paper. With the irrigation season over, we are now cutting firewood in the pasture. It is lots of fun, for I get to go mousing while the boss works the chainsaw. We also have been harassing the quail and pheasants in the fields. I have learned that I sure can't catch them, so don't chase very far. I have been shot over when circumstances are right, but ole deadeye hasn't yet thought the perfect shot has come up. Oh well, just wait 'til next year...
 I'll write more in the next millennium, your buddy, Bert