I don't stink!

I slept inside the house last night. The mean dog behind the fence was out barking very late and I was so nervous that I decided to go in the kitchen and sleep. I don't know why he was out so late barking and growling near the fence, but I did not like it one bit! Tonight it is nice and quiet, though, so I will be outside under the moon and stars. Hopefully the mean dog behind the fence will stay quiet all night. I wonder if he will be outside more as the weather gets warmer. I know summer is coming because I have been shedding a lot lately. I am leaving huge clumps of fur all over the house and yard. They even fall out during my walks. K brushed me today and she filled up an entire plastic bag of my fur from only getting my two hind legs brushed. She still has the rest of my body to go! I do feel better, though, to get that hanging fur off of me. We had four days of hot hot heat the other week. It was 100 degrees (plus or minus a few degrees) for four days. I did pretty good, though. I slept a lot in the kitchen on the cold stone tile floor during the day but at night I was able to stay outside since it cooled down. But obviously summer is coming so my fur is adjusting. The other evening during our walk we saw six doggies running around off-leash on a little hill, so I went to join them (on leash of course, or I would take off running!). They were nice dogs. One of the humans said I should get shaved for the summer. K disagrees. My Vet told K that my double coat helps keep me insulated and cool during the summer (well, as cool as any animal can be during 100 degree heat) and also, my fur protects me from the sun's rays and from insect bites. So now it bothers me when I see shaved dog because I wonder if their skin is burning from the sun, or if they have lots and lots of insect bites. I don't think dogs are meant to be shaved. I think Nature is pretty smart and would not create an animal that would need a human to come along and shave it for the summer. I am shedding right now which is helping me to prepare for the summer heat. K's relative came to visit this past week-end and said I smelled like a stinky dog and needed a bath. Hey! I do smell like a dog, because I am a dog, but I don't think I stink! K thinks it is just because I have so much fur falling off and also, at least four times now, I have jumped into the little pond we walk by every morning. And the pond water kind-of smells. I have been going in up to my neck and it feels so nice and cool. The ducks get mad at me for going into their pond and some yell at me. But I only stay in for a minute or two. So I guess if the water is smelly and I am in it then maybe I am getting to be a stinky dog. Well, if being stinky is the price I have to pay for a cool down in a smelly pond, then I guess my name is stinky Suka! I'm just sayin'...