For our family, Odin was something special and it was an experience living
with him. One needed always to be alert when that 140 pound drooler would shake his head sidewise for
spittle would fly up to 20 feet.
Odin's favorite position, of course, was to sit on his haunches, with his old
red tongue hanging down just below his big black nose.
He drank copious amounts of water, several quarts each day and virtually never ran
out of pee. Odin was a marker, too, car tires being his favorite, followed by trees and other flora, but he was
equal opportunity on this score and the most dastardly stunt he pulled was lifting his back leg and nailing Lori Cleveland's
Cabbage Patch doll she had sitting on a little stool in their living room.
On another visit to their home, he broke out the basement window while they were
at work. That was the last time they volunteered to dog sit.
One day, when Odin and his master were waiting out a red light in down town Decorah,
a lady pedestrian had a little shit-zu on a leash. Odin stuck his head out the window and loudly said, "Woof."
The lady, with a terrified look, snatched up her pooch and clamped it tightly to her bosom. We told Odin to shut the
hell up.
The next most untoward thing was when the kittens brought him a baby rabbit when
he was a youngster. Odin simply swallowed that hare like it was an oyster on the half shell. His mother,
translating Becky, was very upset by that deed.
He loved the kittens, would lick them until they were drenched, at which time they
would bop him on the nose.
Odin loved to walk, run, and ride in the truck. He would condescend to ride
in the back of the pick up, but always acted as if he felt his place was in the cab with his master. This gave his master
a guilt trip, ergo Odin won again.
When his mother would speak baby talk to him, Odin would jump up and down in
circles, for this probably meant he and his parents were going someplace, perhaps on a wood cutting trip.
Around home, he would always place himself at a vantage point a where
he could keep on eye on his master, so as not to miss out on the next activity, preferably hiking or riding. He was
an eternal optimist on that score.
Being a Newfy, Odin's shtick was water rescue and his master allowed the he might
in fact save him, were the latter to have a piece of meat in his hand.
In later years, he was known to awaken his people at night, either to get into the
house or to get out of it.
Sure, Odin had his share of neuroses, was anxious and dependent. He was
also extremely loyal, and a most wonderful friend, who we loved very much.
