Litmus test
A few weeks ago I posted a photo of Chuck sitting by the side of our house in the snow. Never before has something on this website caused such concern, and since then I have received hundreds of email demanding that I turn his collar right-side-up and then post a picture of it so that the balance of the Universe could be restored. One person even sent me an email day after day to check up on my progress, had I corrected it yet? Is it fixed now? How about now? PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, FIX IT NOW BECAUSE MY RIGHT EYE WON'T STOP TWITCHING.
Others were concerned that the other dogs in the neighborhood would scorn Chuck, would make fun of him for wearing his collar upside down because that is the canine equivalent of wearing white tube socks rolled into doughnuts around your ankles. If Chuck wore his collar around his butt the other dogs in the neighborhood might notice it, but they don't even notice that Chuck has a head, it's so far away from the focus of their research.
Turns out you are all as OCD as I am, but I know my meds are working because I can look at this without feeling the uncontrollable urge to scratch imaginary sores:
GIRD YOUR LOINS, IT'S A CLOSE-UP:
Despite the upside down collar Chuck remains a functioning pet and this morning proved such by trying to eat the sprinklers:
He even tried to tackle the sprinkler head located directly beneath the car:
Promptly afterward I turned his collar so that it was facing the right direction. OR MAYBE? MAYBE I LEFT IT JUST LIKE THAT.
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Heather talks about overcoming depression on today's Momversation.
- Leta: "STOP FOLLOWING ME, COCO!"
I wonder where she picked up that exclamation.
- Me: "Hey Marlo, here's a vibrantly colored, squeaky toy made specifically for your age group!"
Marlo: "Got any knives?"
- @makeandtakes my pleasure! Had a great time with you guys!
1. the niffer said:
Nice ass Chuck!
2. Molicious said:
Hehe, just goes to show that dogs are stupid. So are people.
3. Kristine said:
mean ass. you're just mad at everyone for siding with Jon.
I'm the person who doesn't have toilet paper 'over'.
I do it to freak out my 2 OCD friends who come over. Everytime they leave it's flipped 'over'. It makes me laugh.
4. Erica America said:
I like the collar like that - it shows spunk and uniqueness! Now go get 'em Senator!
5. Shelli said:
heh - it's SO TOTALLY right side up when he's drinking....
My tic goes away when I look at it that way.
6. Anopoli said:
I didn't notice that the first time you posted his picture...now I'm going nuts!
7. ktjane said:
"Promptly afterward I turned his collar so that it was facing the right direction. OR MAYBE? MAYBE I LEFT IT JUST LIKE THAT."
dun-dun-DUNNNNN
i can't wait to see how this one turns out! :)
8. betsy said:
In order to handle looking at the collar, I just assume its a fox head with rectangular ears...then i can sigh with relief that the world is not upside down. I want a chuck too. :-(
9. happy said:
Chuck proved that he is as good at action photos as he is at fashion shots.
And I have to say your nature shots in your daily photos are amazing. You should offer prints for sale. Seriously.
10. Jezzie said:
Dear Chuck,
The greater a philospher one is, the less he can abide the questions of the common man. (quote from a forgotten source)
Your faithful disciple,
Jessica
11. suze said:
proof that I pay absolutely no attention to detail, I had no idea Chuck's collar was upside down. I don't know if I should be ashamed of that fact or relieved that the OCD seems to be under control ;)
12. Madame M. said:
It could also be a collar of downward-facing arrows. How's that?
13. Jon Z. said:
While I a.) can't claim to have noticed when you originally posted the picture, and b.) am quite certain I'd never email someone to vent about their dog's collar being upside down, I will admit that I am OCD enough to where I would notice if I had put the collar on upside down, and would feel compelled to correct it for fear that not doing so would result in my world collapsing around me.
So, I guess what I'm saying is that I'm sick, but not in an invasive, boundary-encroaching way.
14. divinemissk said:
oh my gosh- i love that he is trying to eat the sprinklers! we're installing an irrigation system at the end of june and i can't wait till our two little ones try to defeat the evil sprinkler heads!
15. Kit said:
Chuck kind of looks like a deer in the first picture. And that's pretty cute.
16. agnieszka said:
The former congressman can do whatever he wants, including making a bold fashion statement and sticking his ass up in the air for all to admire. That's how he rolls.
17. MissusB said:
Wow. Some people just have too much time on their hands. It doesn't matter which way the collar is, Chuck is still the shit.
18. Wicked H said:
Embrace diversity. Former Congressman, I salute you!
19. Dorkette said:
I don't imagine there would be this much fuss if Dubya had HIS collar upside down; that would be business as usual. I would even bet that Chuck has a better command of the English language. It's sad when the public expects more from pets than the president.
CHUCK FOR PRESIDENT!
20. swankette said:
I just figured it was his way of rebelling against people who like to put stuff on his head.
21. Erin Fritz said:
So I didn't notice that it was upside-down the first time. But now that you've pointed it out, it's DRIVING ME CRAZY!
Please. For the sake of my sanity, turn it right-side up!!
22. amy Jacobs said:
Ok, what the hell are those things supposed to be anyway, even turned right side up? I noticed the collar...they looked like the spaceships from Space Invaders...seemed to suit you guys, or at least Jon, so I didn't think too much of it. I take it those are little doghouses or something? I say forget turning his collar around...just get him a new one that is not so ambiguous...how about with his name on it or some cool hippy type pattern. Geez people must get lives to worry about a dog collar...or try and kid you guys about it. Seriously, are those dog houses? Now I'm twitching cuz I can't tell what the "frick" they are either upside down or right side up. Yup, a nice new collar with his name in shiny golden leaders seems like the best idea. If you guys can't spring for one with all the cash spent on the sewer, I'll mail you one. You want it to say "Chuck" or "Mr. Senator" or "Just Stop Looking At Me"? Really, I think they are Space Invader alien ships now that I've studied it nonstop for the past 30 minutes...tick, tick, TOCK.
23. Sheana said:
Chuck wins at life.
24. Workman said:
Oh the humanity! An upside down collar! Please restore order to the universe immediately! If this keeps up, before you know it, you'll be posting pictures of your child wearing... INSIDE OUT SOCKS!
Change your course of action now before the Humane Society or Human Services get involved.
25. Karilynn Kelley said:
You did fix it! In this particular photograph of Chuck, it is right-side up: http://www.dooce.com/archives/daily_photo/05_12_2006.html
I win!
26. trublu76 said:
I turned my puppy's collar upside down in a show of unity.
All dogs unite in upside down fashion!
We don't have sprinklers, but my pup, Nayla, a Siberian Husky, gets extremely hot in these NC summers, so she has a kiddie pool (the blue hard plastic type) that we put a couple inches of water in. She will go 'round and 'round that thing biting at the water and then she will dive head first and just lay down. Then she'll get up and start digging, at the water, crazily, until most of it is in the lawn. Crazy animals!
27. monkey said:
It's not upside down if it's supposed to be a box-y looking fox! Ooooh!
As OCD I am about most things, animal collars do not fall into that category. I let my cat run without one for a weeks until I finally cornered him this weekend to put the collar back on (I still haven't figured out which child took it off to begin with). It makes him so much easier to find...you know, when I lose him...in my tiny, tiny apartment. (Did I mention he's strictly an indoor cat?) I can't tell you how many times I've misplaced him. And once I accidently locked him out of the apartment. Man, he was mad at me for hours for the 5 minutes he was locked out. Maybe I should invest in a key finder and attach it to him.
28. Ash said:
And here I was thinking that the character in the TV show "Monk" wasn't based on a real person. Obviously I was wrong, and he reads Dooce.com.
People, if a collar upside down in a picture causes you to repeatedly email someone for days, trust me: YOU NEED A THERAPIST!
That, or an exorcist....or better drugs...or maybe all of the above...
29. Z said:
That's hilarious b/c I didn't realize it was upside down b/c I just assumed it was some sort of abstract design. Not a doghouse.
30. Sumo said:
So... you have a sprinkler head in the middle of your driveway? So you can get that undercarriage wash?
By the way, I hope you left the collar the way it was!
31. MontanaJen said:
What is it with dogs and water?
I have a big American Foxhound, and she loveslovesLOVES the hose. She simply cannot contain herself when the water is ON and SHE NEEDS IT IN HER MOUTHRIGHTNOW.
She is happiest when I just put the hose on the ground. She'll step on it just so the water sprays in the air and squirts her, then she'll wrap her mouth around the end of the hose so water is literally squirting down her throat and out the other side of her mouth and walk around the yard with it.
One hot summer day I left the back door open while running in and out of the house and letting hound-dog walk around watering herself.
She followed me into the house. With the hose. I didn't notice for a little while.
Crazy dogs.
32. jaime said:
I like the collar upside down - feels like an F You to The Man, the upside-down house being sort of like an upside-down cross. Chuck don't need no old-fashioned 50s-style family! He's a badass! Rebel.
33. Torrie said:
Stop toying with my emotions lady!
I will not be able to sleep tonight if I'm not sure the collar situation has been rectified.
*twitch*
34. Chiyiyite said:
It's houses??? HOUSES????? I thought it was little doggy heads.
(two fabulous years of blurbodoocery and THIS is the comment I sign up for.)
35. redheadwriter said:
Leave it. It gives direction to all the other dogs as to where Chuck's ass is -- the arrows point them right to it.
36. Schnozz said:
Those aren't houses. Those are arrows. Pointing straight to hell. WHICH IS WHERE YOU ARE GOING IF YOU DON'T FIX THAT COLLAR.
I'm joking, of course. Because it's just a dog collar, and there is a lot more to life than e-mailing a stranger to harass them about a dog collar. Like e-mailing a stranger to harass them about the organization of their sock drawer, for instance. Let's focus on the real issues and not allow ourselves to get sidetracked; the collar isn't mobile enough to create real universal havoc. The socks are probably doing ALL KINDS OF CRAZY THINGS in there. Entertwining ... mismatching ... creating sheer chaos.
Sigh. I guess I don't care about that either, as hard as I'm trying. Look, I'm TRYING to get into the spirit of this, but now I just want to run around town in a dustball costume (homemade, naturally), flipping everyone's mailbox flags to ambiguous half-mast and clipping the front of their lawns two inches shorter than the rest. Stop tempting me with your insanity!
37. Kim Carter said:
that's so funny! I have the same collar for my dog and my husband wont even let her wear it cuz it is blue, and he thinks she should be wearing a pink collar, cuz she is a girl...I wonder about him sometimes.
38. Melissa said:
Are you actually serious about this? People wrote to you regarding Chuck's collar being upside down? Holy crap.
Speaking of crap, have you ever checked out this site: www.drnatura.com? I think you will be amazed. It could be the solution to your years of intestinal difficulties. I actually ordered a three-month supply and started it 4 days ago. I'm tempted to take pictures and post them on my site.
39. kendall said:
To all of you who are OCDing about Chuck's collar and CROWNs:
shut up, get a life, and have a nice day.
40. victoria said:
That was hilarious. Thank you. Also Chuck is looking very beautiful in these pics.
41. Torrie said:
Re Melissa's comment-
I'm doing the Dr. Natura cleanse right now. It's awesome and I highly recommend it.
42. beachgirl4ever said:
http://www.dooce.com/archives/daily_photo/04_14_2006.html
http://www.dooce.com/archives/daily_photo/05_05_2006.html
The collar probably changes direction frequently. In some pictures, Mr. Congressman isn't even wearing one! Don't tell the humane society!
43. Snickrsnack Katie said:
Wow, I noticed it, too, but started to think that maybe upside-down doghouses were some sort of weird Mormon thing. You never know. Also, I pretty much figured that other people would harass you about it, too, and I was right. God, people are weird! And I am about as OCD as they get.
44. Snickrsnack Katie said:
And another thing - what is cool is that if Chuck looks down at his collar, which I don't know if that is physically possible or not, but the doghouses are right side up for him!
45. gordon said:
what if your collar has no arrows?
46. The Lizzy said:
And here I was thinking people were all "OMG WHY IS HE NOT ON A LEASH".
I wonder what they'd do if he walked around for eight hours with his ear inside out like my dog-friend Dawkins:
http://bullymama.livejournal.com/145730.html
47. leftygrrrl said:
I'm way too high to understand why someone would email you over this. Oh well, off to do another bong hit.
48. stalkergirl said:
Just a quick thought... if you flip it so that it appears the correct way to you and all the "viewers," won't it be upside-down to Chuck when he looks down at it? (OK OK he probably doesn't do it on a regular basis, but it's a good justification in my book!)
49. Vicky H. said:
I thought the graphic on Chuck's was arrows; and I thought they were pointing, correctly, in the direction the food would go.
50. Meg said:
I can't imagine a) noticing and b) feeling it was email-worthy. People are nutbars. Now, if the collar was on Leta...
51. geeky said:
obviously all of the other dogs are just wearing their collars wrong.
52. sbw1979 said:
This is probably just the animal-lover in me, but I have to say that I'm just glad that Chuck wears a collar at all...especially after his disappearing act a couple months ago!
53. Bess said:
Maybe they're little arrows, pointing down Chuck's gullet, to indicate "This is where the bones go." Isn't that a cooler collar anyway?
54. Bess said:
(Um, not to say that it wouldn't be cool the other way too. Sorry.)
55. Coyote said:
I thought the Congressman's collar was some sort of cool retro thing from the old Atari days. Irrespective of reality, I'm going to continue to think that.
Oh man, I checked out the drnatura.com site. It's worth it just to read some of the bold paragraph headers. Taken out of context, they're pretty funny: "Within the hour I had a life-changing experience in the bathroom!" "My pants are literally falling off." "I am now so regular that it’s almost scary."
And there are lots of hidden gems like these: "It takes an act of congress sometimes for me to have a bowel movement." "We...are having awesome adventures in the bathroom, which, I might add, we share with one another to compare notes."
56. The Bold Soul said:
[changing panties after laughing THAT hard at Chuck's sprinkler attack]
Frankly, while I really loved that photo of Chuck in the snow (he's such a handsome chap), I never noticed the damned collar. I hope you respectfully suggested to those who emailed you about it that they stop obsessing over Chuck's wardrobe and get a life, already!
57. Nicole said:
Yes but wasn't it fixed for your photo of the day (may 5) pic??
58. christy said:
I never knew people were so bothered by things being upsidedown. Maybe I will have to stop wearing my underwear on my head now.
59. Everqueer said:
"GIRD"
/me loves it
60. Jonniker said:
This made me go grab my own dog to look at her collar, because it has little somethings on it, and while I didn't ever really notice what they were, hey, they could be upside down, and MY GOD, the world would end.
And,um, to my chagrin and horror, I realized that while the collar is on properly, I actually dressed my little girldog in a collar that is pink with (OHGOD) HIGH HEELS and PURSES all over it.
I deserve to be shot. I had no idea that's what they were. Get me a purple leather Juicy bag to carry her in, along with a gun, and I'll be on my way.
61. iamjenlindsey said:
well, its obvious to me that chuck has thrown himself right the eff under the car in an effort to hide his embarrasment of an upside-down dog collar.
62. Coyote said:
Forgive me for posting again, but this quote from the drnatura.com site should be shared with the world: "Those skeptical days are gone! I sent an email to my friend today with the subject heading 'poop update.' The body of the message stated, 'I felt as though I gave birth and/or passed an alien this morning. I was thinking of saving it, putting a collar on it, and taking it for a walk.'"
63. iamjenlindsey said:
well, you don't have to be a dog-whisperer to figure it out:
its obvious to me that chuck has tried desperately to drown himslef and then has thrown himself right the eff under the car in an effort to off himself as a result of an upside-down dog collar.
64. kelly said:
I didn't realize there was a "right" way to turn a collar. Doesn't it depend on how you are looking at it? So, really, it would only be turned the "wrong" way if you had your nose planted right in Chuck's ass looking at it from that direction, rather than peering at him from the front, no?
I almost typed "people have too much time on their hands to be e-mailing you about that," but here I am commenting on their e-mails about your pictures. Not sure which is worse... ;)
Hell, my meds must be working, too, because my OCD didn't kick in either on this one. Yea for vitamin Z!!!
65. iamjenlindsey said:
seriously, i posted that twice?!
now i have to drown myself and if that doesn't work...you know where i'm heading next.
66. Maniacal said:
I like it upsidown!
67. timothyjlambert said:
Upside down dog collars make perfect sense to me, because as someone who also occasionally posts pictures of his dog on a web site, I know it's easier to put the collar on upside down so the personal information on the tags won't show up in the pictures, rather than go through the hassle of photoshopping it out.
68. Tiggerlane said:
Want other dogs in the neighborhood to scorn Chuck? Try a dog sweater.
SERIOUSLY can't believe people are that OCD, but if it means more Chuckiliciousness for me to gawk at, I hope they continue. Extra photos of the dog-babe, and IT'S NOT EVEN FRIDAY!
So, let us know when you get more hate mail. B/c it's dangerous for a dog to have a collar on that is so loose that you can slide more than two fingers underneath.
(Insert evil laugh here.)
69. smallestangel said:
My two year old son woke up at 4:30 a.m. this morning and has since peed on my leg before I could get his pull-up on, let his chewed up cereal dribble back out of his mouth onto his new shirt while not wearing a bib because they're all in the dryer, and he stuck his train in my ear....I also got my period today.
You just made me laugh my ass off.
Thank you. :)
70. Caloden said:
The universe is tied up in the most tidy of serendepituos rubber band balls. The collar may or may not point to Chuck's ass. Dr. Natura helps to move the bowels of those for whom it takes an act of Congress to get things a-moving. Chuck is a former Senator. I, too, have been mulling over joining Dr. Natura's program, though I am neither of member of the Senate or the Congress and rarely do I wear an upside down collar.
71. Laura Smart said:
Um, collars have a right way up? I always just slip it over my dog's head whichever way it's facing when I'm holding it. Maybe that's because he's so eager to go for a walk when he sees the collar appear that he starts trying to shove your hand with his snout in such a way that it will force the collar over his head, and I don't have time to tell which way is up or down. But I never considered this before! Heather, I'm with you, upside down is just fine :)
On another note entirely, that is awesome that Chuck is trying to eat the sprinklers. I don't know why dogs do the things they do but they sure provide me with endless hours of entertainment.
72. katem9579 said:
I cant for the life of me see how anyone possibly noticed that. I had seen the picture and never noticed. But to email you about it daily or even once.
that person seriously needs to GET A FREAKIN LIFE!!!!
These days I am lucky to get my kid in matching socks much less worry if my dogs collar is right side up when we take a walk. He is just lucky to get that walk!
73. Pixie said:
Okay hopefully I am not commenting twice- I lost the other one!!!
ANYWAY--
You just made me laugh my head off!
Heather you are hysterical and I absolutely love reading your posts... Obviously Chuck is managing quite well!!! hahaha
Have a great day!
74. thesuperbongo said:
You silly humans. You need better cover stories to throw the more annoying of your type off the trail. Tell the OCDers that when Chuck puts his collar on himself, he usually gets it upside-down, but you don't want to discourage him from getting dressed by himself so you don't tell him. Or, tell them that when Chuck looks down at his collar, it looks right side up to him and he's reassured. Or, tell them that there is a pointy bit on the collar and you HAVE to put it on that way to keep it from poking him in the jugular.
75. Shalini said:
i love that people who are awed by the fact that other ppl have emailed you and commented about Chuck's collar are still commenting here... it's so funny!
I like the collar either way it resides on Chuck. Chuck is a hawt dawg!
76. nazilam said:
I thought they were little guys shirts with bow ties, sort of like a dickie, but different.
Its a cute collar. Get one of Chuck's minions to beat the crap out of the neighbor's dogs, will ya?
Oh, the only thing I would worry about seeing Chuck going after the sprinklers in underneath the car is if I set the emergency brake or not.
That would worry me more.
nm
77. SilverSeraphim said:
I could care less about the collar.
I just wanted to say that you are obviously doing well in teaching Leta about fabulous shoes.
And where can I get a pair for my spawn?
78. happylaney said:
I find you interesting, and your writing entertaining, and your photography beautiful, and it doesn't really bother me that people are so into you, but I will say that I am amazed that so many people noticed, and were truely bothered by Chuck's collar. What a strange phenomenon this internet thing is. You are an internet celebrity. Kind of a new concept for me to grasp.
79. Tanya said:
Collar schmollar. How did you go from snow to sprinklers that fast?
80. Sunni said:
Why is there a sprinkler head in your driveway?
This post of yours just demands that you must start posting more of the emails you receive. If people email you about Chuck's collar, I simply can't imagine what other nonsense they write you about.
Please share. It's nice to share.
81. iggygrl76 said:
Im just gonna point out the obvious the only time the collar is apparantly in the "correct" position is if the animal is on a leash and or the collar is very tight holding it IN that position. We are not that cruel to our animals to leave their collars that tight on them so their collars move around and are never in their correct position unless we are taking them for a walk. Man some of these people need to get their lil OCD selves back on their lil pills lol.
82. Tracy aka Fuzzball said:
AHAHAHA Oh man now the collar is bugging me. I'm sitting here muttering "turn it around turn it around turn it around..."
Aaaaaaand now I sound insane. Nice.
Pictures of The Chucklet always make my day. Eeeee!
83. Amy D. said:
Yes, you should share more of people's submitted neuroticisms....it must make you feel fabulously normal, it would be easy to copy and paste, and it's freaking hilarious that people care that much. I think you rock, Heather, but you still rock even if Chuck's collar is upside down....what is wrong with people?
84. Kristin said:
Well, OF COURSE it's upside down. That way he can enjoy the design.
I'm so glad he's on the case of the Crazy Water-Spraying Thingies. One must be vigilant.
85. Msyvone said:
You mean those arent alien deer heads?
My grandma's Boston Terrier would always try to eat the vacuum cleaner, so Chuck is actually quite brilliant in comparison, at least he's getting his daily water intake.
86. Jennifer in Kansas City said:
I am viewing this as a choice: I can make myself crazy over it, or....
I can let go, and let Dooce.
Hmmmm. New mantra. It might just work.
87. jes said:
My favorite is the image of him staring at the sprinkler with water droplets spilling from his mouth, as if: "Damnit. It's still spraying. MUST. STOP."
88. John said:
Good for you. I applaud your pacifistways of protest.
89. namedphoenix said:
hilarious.
Although I hadn't even noticed it was upside down. Now, however, it will bother me to no end.
Thanks a lot. =P
90. carissa said:
I realize you're probably exaggerating when you say "hundreds", but it wouldn't occur to me that you might receive ONE e-mail about your dog's collar, let alone, say, ten. I guess people are WAY more freaky than I give them credit for. I didn't even notice the collar was upside down. Now it kinda bugs me. But I'll get over it. And I won't write you to tell you about it.
91. Laurie said:
If you look at the next to last picture under the front fender, you can clearly see that the car is parked up on the grass. So no sprinkler in the middle of the driveway, but instead a car parked up on the lawn.
And that my friends, is my OCD moment of the day. Same time same place tommorow. :)
92. DDM said:
*Snort!* Uh-oh. The Dogs-shouldn't-drink-sprinkler-water People are gonna be all up in your shit now!
93. PinkPoppies said:
Okay -- now I know I need to get my eyes checked. I thought these were chevrons (decorative little ornaments), not houses. :(
Sigh. Plus I am envious that you are now at a point where you can turn on sprinklers..... what's next, a shot of Leta running gleefully through the water?
Pinky
on the foggy east coast
94. Nessacery said:
I saw that Old Navy is looking for a new mascot.
I immediately thought of Chuck
http://www.oldnavy.com/browse/info.do?cid=15027&mlink=5151,391086&clink=391086&affiliate_id=1a
95. Meagan said:
I thought they were pokemon. Man do I feel like an ass.
96. dancingnancy said:
I wish my dog protected me from the sprinklers (if we had sprinklers, Oregon doesn't believe in them...). My Aussie is afraid of the hose.........won't drink from it. You think it's cause I sprayed him with it?
97. Carole Karnofski said:
I didn't even notice that it was upside-down. What does that say about me? I guess my meds are working, too.
98. Avid reader said:
It's not upside down if CHUCK is looking down at it. And isn't he the one who counts? I mean, it's his collar.
99. jcg said:
The very fact that someone would take the time to email you every day because your dog's collar is on backwards is cr.eeeee.py.
I can only imagine what other sorts of mail you get.
100. kerri said:
Before I buy a puppy I am SO going to make sure he eats sprinklers, or something else that will be equally so entertaining to watch.
101. Doppelganger said:
I like the upside-down collar. It looks like little evil robot faces.
102. Luv2Ballrm said:
I did notice in the referenced picture....certainly wouldn't email you about it. I just thought it was a matter of perspective (looking from behind vs. the nose).
Keep up the good work....always make me smile when I read.
103. Bling Fatih said:
I like the upside-down collar, too. Chuck rocks!
drnatura.com is quite the site. I had no idea that people get this excited about their shit.
"I can't begin to tell you how wonderful I feel. I have been having the best bowel movements ever! [...] My stool is about a foot long, if not more, everyday. It is amazing how good I feel, I can actually breathe better."
Whoa.
104. marian said:
In that original photo I think Chuck looks just like Santa's Little Helper. What a handsome fellow he is.
105. karen said:
That was great, I couldn't help but laugh out loud at my desk... my coworkers think Im crazy.
106. rivetergirl said:
I would like to see where it says which way is up and which way is down on that collar. I think the pattern works best the way you have it.
107. destiny said:
Does Chuck have an eating disorder? He is looking rather thin.
108. Kat said:
I happen to think that his collar is actually consisting of a bunch of arrows pointing down to draw attention to his sexy bod.
109. lildb snack said:
it's a relief to discover how many other OCD party members there are. (not that it makes me want to ratchet my counting-religiously down any.) I'm just sayin'. it's one of the things I appreciate so much about your blog.
I gotta go, there's some serious object-counting left unfinished in my vicinity.
110. officerlove said:
I just have to wonder (as sumo said before) why the heck do you have a sprinkler head in the middle of your driveway???? That so drives me more nuts than the collar does...
111. Lily said:
Well, it doesn't cause me extreme distress, but I'll admit it: I would feel a teeny tiny knot of anxiety unravel if his collar were THE OTHER WAY... not saying that way would be the right way, or this is the wrong way.
Honestly, when I figured out that I can't drive in certain lanes on the freeway, because I was trying to pinpoint when I was exactly between two lane markers - I'm just saying, the collar ain't nothin.
112. Irina said:
Okay, although I do wish I could reach into the computer screen to right the collar and my eye does twitch at the reality that I can't, and while this may mean that my own meds aren't working, Chuck is SO fucking cute that I'm easily distracted from my woes.
Also, I wish I were half as photogenic.
113. jenlovely said:
i don't get it. which way should his collar be? tags down is the way our dogs always wore them. or should it be tags up? honestly, i like the tags to the side look best on chuck. i think it adds personality.
114. vinsanity said:
Okay.
Tie the collar around his head with the tag hanging just behind his right eye.
Then teach him to walk with a limp, grab his (existential) balls with one paw, and rap.
Then rename him L'il C. There's money to be made here, millions even.
Probably from all the people begging you to change it back.
Okay, i"m done.
115. Clairebell said:
And this is exactly why my dog's collar has a pattern that runs the length, not the width. It looks the same either way.
116. jenlovely said:
oops. now i feel silly. it shows how OCD i am. i didn't even notice the arrows were pointing down.
117. JustLinda said:
Oh, man, there is nothing more fun than messing with an OCD person. My favorite is putting my shirt-tag OUT. Everyone HATES it when someone's shirt tag is sticking out. Tag-hating people will approach and tuck in the tag of a complete stranger.
So, Heather... are you a tag-tucker?? You can tell us... ;)
118. Tara Whitney said:
this just made me laugh so hard. and it hurt. because i am sick. but i am still laughing. those pics combined with your last sentence. tears. tears i tell you.
119. Tara Whitney said:
oh oh! raising my hand!
i know the answer to this one!
they have a strip of grass running up the MIDDLE of the driveway, do they not?
check out this pic:
http://www.dooce.com/archives/daily/12_30_2005.html
i swear im not freaky for remembering-i just remembered, is all.
120. Gora_Kagaz said:
haha...too funny! i don't know why people get all uptight about things like that...although i do have my pet peeves. :)
121. spinsteraunt said:
That is one cute freaking dog. I'm just sayin'.
122. smoochdog said:
You posts about Leta make me melt, your photos are fantastic, your posts about your struggles and courage inspire me but man ALIVE your posts about Chuck MAKE MY DAY!
123. Vikki said:
If you are facing him and his head is bowed,the little houses sit just as they should...
124. geekbruin said:
heather, you absolutely made my day! and it's been a long, miserable day, too. it's amazing what a little sarcasm and a cute pet can do for the blood pressure.
125. Shelley said:
Oh no! I wouldn't have noticed anything till you said it. I get incredibly anal at the smallest things at time. No more caffiene for me!
126. Thérèse said:
Heather, have you no sense of pride? That poor dog is strutting around town none the wiser that his collar is, for the love of all that is edible, upside down! It's... it's... it's just plain disgrac-- (is overcome by giggles and cannot finish sentence or ridiculous line of accusation)
127. blogon said:
But, can you live with a toilet paper roll that's backwards? Huh? Can you? Meds can help with upside-down dog collars, but I don't think they can touch backwards tp.
128. eddeaux said:
WOW. People are crazy. I didn't notice the upside-down collar and even after it was pointed out I was like, "So What?" (the same way that Simon Cowell says it on American Idol)
Heather, I am really enjoying your column over on Alpha Mom - even though I am not a female or a mom, even though sometimes I am an alpha male. Sigur Ros, I listened to some of their stuff on iTunes, it's interesting, soothing, and there is something subtle and otherworldy about it that makes me want to go into a deep meditative state and drink grape juice laced with poison.
129. plantain said:
Didn't notice it till you pointed it out... now I feel a little weird in my tummy.
130. Jennifer said:
I think chuck should wear his collar however he likes.
131. ktjane said:
collar appears to have been corrected by owner on 5/5/06 as shown in this image.
exhibit a: http://www.dooce.com/archives/daily_photo/05_05_2006.html
132. Nat W. said:
I'm shocked that it doesn't bother me. Oh my God, maybe my Luvox really IS working?! Muahaha, I shall slay the OCD gods whether they like it or not!
133. Lenski said:
Jeeeeeezzzzzz.... GET A BLOODY GRIP!
Heather.... You need to set up a shadow Dooce site that just contains the best email you get each day regarding the audacity people think you have to make particluar comments in a post ON YOUR OWN WEBSITE
Please do this for the world.... The general population will be sooooo much happier I promise!
Ooooo.... Imagine the giggles!
L x
134. Kissyface said:
Clearly he needs to be a victim on Queer Eye for the Straight Dog.
135. coffeygirlb said:
Oh, shit that's funny. Don't you love fucking with the crazies. I'm nutzo about some pretty random crap but lord, who gives a flip if chucks collar is right side up. I love that you taunted them. And his sprinkler eating is classic. Dogs, aren't they great.
136. Kathy B. said:
Dog collar doesn't bother me one way or another -- but, my dear, it really is cray-on! (Sorry)
137. Shelley Bonnechance said:
Ew! Never mind about the collar - it's the poop hole photos that have me flinching.
138. TripTikGirl said:
I didn't even notice the first time around...besides, who cares?
I can't believe you'd get "follow up" emails about this. It seems to me that Chuck is making a fashion statement!
139. barbie2be said:
um.... maybe he LIKES it that way?
140. advancedsalad said:
Your defiance has made my day. Now I'll be able to look the receptionist in the eye and say: "No I have Not had my pass replaced yet. I am what I am.". Thank you so very, very much.
141. Nikki Jeske said:
And all this time I thought it was a fashion statement.
142. OutOfTune said:
Wow, um, people actually wrote you emails about that? That reminds me of the time my in-laws got a letter from the busybody old lady up the street, telling them that their house needed some sprucing up, along with a detailed list of ways to improve their yard.
143. marnie said:
The collar does not make the dog.
Pay no attention to my dog.. the one with the diamonelle studs and flashing lights I got from the shopping channel.
144. HorribleReality said:
Ya know...I never noticed the upside down thing and was actually dissapointed when I realized that it was little dog houses on his collar instead of little Space Invader guys.
145. Strizz said:
I didn't even notice it was wrong. I just assumed that those were yellow arrows pointing down to his dog bod. And it totally looks like Chuck works out.
146. tk said:
Just because Chuck likes to be a little different... who knew that such controversy would be caused. Too bad his hair is not long enough that you could spike it into a Mohawk all the way down his back.
The sprinkler thing is too hilarious. My brother's dog would totally try and eat the sprinklers too. Or in the summer I'd hose him down in the backyard when I was filling his pool (he's a lab, he has his own kiddie pool) he'd bite at the stream of water coming from the nozzle or just chew on the nozzle itself. Hours and Hours of entertainment!!!!!
147. manei said:
Oh no, the HORROR! :( Pretty soon Chuck is going to start thinking he is a cat. All because of this damn collar. :(
148. Magellan said:
I thought it was arrows pointing in the direction of his butt. What's wrong with that?
149. little veg said:
hah, I also thought they were bum arrows... great minds think dirty.
150. Billygean.co.uk said:
Aaah I want a chuck and a leta! Trying to convince the boyfriend and the landlord...
Also, is it inside out? I don't actually get this post (my blog is full of blonde moments...)
Billygean
151. Y said:
Who are these people who have time to care that deeply about such things?
I think they need to take up Aerobic Dancing so they can spend their time practicing awesome moves instead of emailing strangers on the internet about dog collars.
152. Karyn said:
You have a sprinkler head, in your driveway, in the middle of concrete, under where cars are parked? Wow, that's some serious dedication to watering.
I think that collar's ugly, upside down or no. That's of more concern really. But hey, live and let live I say.
uh oh. I'm in for it now.
153. Piglet said:
Evidently my medication is working as well, b/c that shit totally doesn't bother me. I didn't even notice it on the first picture way back when.
It's nice to know that the world is full of others like me. So I'm not alone you know.
154. Coyote said:
When you look down at Chuck while his nose is in your crotch, the little houses on his collar will be correctly oriented. Therefore, the collar itself is correctly oriented.
155. Pamalamadingdong said:
Which begs the question, why is there a sprinkler head located under your car?
(ps does it make me poor white trash that there is a watering can under mine?)
156. FlakeyBlakee said:
That’s funny cuz on 3-31-05 titled “Skittlebear Bunkins Boo†its upside down too.. Anyone complain then?
157. FlakeyBlakee said:
That’s funny cuz on 3-31-06 titled “Skittlebear Bunkins Boo†its upside down too.. Anyone complain then?
158. Chench said:
I think he likes it that way. If you turned it, he'd probably freak out.
By the way, the color is hideous. You should change it to a nice maroon or something. :-)
Ken
159. Jennifer Clare said:
Thanks for making me laugh first thing in the morning, this is hilarious! :)
160. Nee said:
Who decided that's upside down? It looks like faces with pointy ears. Like, um, DOG FACES. =|:> There it is! Rock on, Chuck, and my dog who is looking over my shoulder from my bed behind me wants to sniff your butt. I don't know what's up with that but I'm grateful there's no smell-o-vision online.
161. momma 2 angels said:
But it's his collar and it looks fine if you are looking down your snout at it. He has an extra, extra cute nose. It looks quite moist.
162. hiddenexposures said:
ok, i clearly need to go on the meds you're on. proof is as follows:
1. i noticed chuck's upside down collar (but didn't feel the need to alert you to this fact).
2. i feel the need to put on my dog's collar in the same direction every morning (as he sleeps without it at night).
2a. my dog's collar has vertical stripes, nothing else.
oh help me.
163. Beth said:
I will just tell myeself his collar is simply a row of very short, very stubby tuning forks, and the hyperventilating will stop.
164. shellibells said:
Fanfuckingtastic....
I had never noticed it was upside-down...are people THIS bored???
I say leave it...as long as you learn out to say crayon, with two syllables, who cares which way the collar is?
165. Lena said:
After my Lab and I adored Chuck for awhile, we noticed that your rug isn't aligned with your floorboards, Heather. And it's making me break out INTO HIVES! FIX IT!
166. alh said:
Our miniature pinscher Tiny totally attacks the sprinklers! It's the best!
167. kawaface said:
sadly, i tied a bandana on my dog. it's a little mini one, and i didn't intend to leave it on, but it's so fucking cute i can't take it off.
my roommate told me the other dogs have started to wisper about my poor little gay boy behind his nicely trimmed ass.:\
...it just took me a while of looking at that collar to figure out those things are little dog houses...i am retarded. i saw it at old navy the other day, though, and knew i knew it from *somewhere* but where?! now i know!-that last sentence is more proof i am retarded.
the end.
168. Ravin'PictureMaven said:
You know...maybe it's like a claddagh. There is no upside down. Chuck is simply advertising his availability, or lack thereof. Let's see...the house (representing a dog's home, or pack) is facing inward, meaning he is unavailable. Therefore, the collar is clearly the right direction.
No, I never think too much.
Not at all.
169. Momma said:
Dooce - I just love your humor and I think I love you!
170. amber said:
why is there a sprinkler head under your automobile? are you parked in the grass or is your car using the bidet?
171. TxSuzyQ said:
You should just invite those bitchy people over to chew on your sprinkler heads for a while. That would be tons more entertaining!
172. jill said:
i LOVE that you remember socks rolled into donuts! who didn't do that? i might do it tomorrow...must find my keds...
173. Katai said:
I'm scanning the entire contents of my brain, but I am finding nothing that suggests it was reasonable to know his collar is upside-down. In fact, I don't even know what those little pictures would be of the other way around. Houses? Houses with no doors and a single, barbell-shaped window? A tiny alien? A hat? What?
174. seppukuqueen said:
Cuter than my dog, whose only trick other than repeating every treat inducing move when given one command is getting beaten up by a cat more than half his size.
And since I missed my chance, I didn't even know it was physically possible to pronounce crayon "crown" until that audio clip.
(Then again, I'm a Canadian, so there's no need to take my English seriously as I only use it to say the words "The Leafs suck", and "Let's go to Tim Hortons". Eh.)
175. Jameykay said:
People are really concerned about his collar enough to sit down and send you e-mails about it? I hope you relish in the fact that you have better things to do with your time.
176. meredith said:
Actually, when Chuck has his head down trying to eat the sprinklers, the collar looks right side up.
177. mandee said:
people are whack sometimes.
178. Flubberwinkle said:
Since I don't have a dog or a dog collar to turn upside down, I am wearing my underwear inside out to demonstrate my solidarity to Chuck.
;-)
179. Charlie said:
If everyone gave Dooce a dollar
To note the state of Chuck's collar,
She could bribe a whole town
To pronounce that word "crayon"
Just like those hicks back in the holler.
180. BigA said:
But what we really want to know is - is it pronounced C-oo-ler, C-aw-ler, or C-L-R?
181. melmo said:
the way the page loaded, i looked at the photos backwards. i had seen where you typed in "gird your loins" at the top photo, but then saw the last photo first. for a split second i seriously thought that chuck had been squashed under the car, my stomach did a flip flop. then i realized, this musn't be right at ALL and quickly scrolled to the top of the page. DUDE, upside down collar, NO WORRIES, just relieved that chuck wasn't stuck/squashed under the car!
182. elise said:
hahaha!!! chuck is the funniest dog ever!
183. areyoustrange said:
I wonder how many people had the irresistable urge to go drink a large glass of water after seeing Chuck try to eat the sprinkler. Maybe it was just me. Yeah, that's probably it.
184. Ms*Polly said:
Weird that I never noticed it in the original photo, but now that you've mentioned it....*starts twitching* :) I'm just trying hard to convince myself that the images on his collar are downward pointing arrows. Or little screwy images of scrambled eggs or something. Yeeaahh.
185. patrice said:
I don't know if someone else already said this (183 comments? who has time?) but...I thought they were space invaders. I had no idea it was upside down.
186. the kim half of glamorouse said:
Forget the dawg.
Forget the collar.
Forget the hilarious shots of him trying to eat sprinklers.
You grow lilacs.
In that stunning colour?
Wow.
187. guinnevere said:
oh HELL. it wasnt bothering me (in so far as i HADNT EVEN NOTICED) until you pointed it out.
and heather- why are you watering the underside of your car?
188. DobieVSW said:
Does this qualify as a wardrobe malfunction?
189. Brad Martin said:
It's just like wearing your hat backwards or slightly askew to the left or right. Don't worry if your dog is part of some new, hip street culture. All kids go through that phase. My hat is, in fact, slightly askew to the right as I type this. At work. Shows you, snarky adults from my childhood, baggy pants and odd hat angles and I still have a job in middle management. My skill shows through my urban-ness.
190. thleen said:
Hey Heather...
My dog says "Power to the collar!" I agree, it's very Atari looking. Leave it...it's cool.
191. brandy said:
I am just stunned that chuck is so willing to attack a high pressure water sprinkler. My dog would rather get hit by a car then have an outdoor bath.
Then again you can put noodles on his noggin and he stays perfectly still.
Are you positive he is not a robot?
192. deannie said:
His collar was upside down? What a beautiful dog.
193. Toyfoto said:
Did you notice when he puts his head down the houses ARE right-side up? So if you flip the collar and he attacks the sprinklers again people will think there's a tornado in Utah. It'll be a mess. You'll be getting e-mails left, right and sideways from folks musing: "uh, oh TOTO. I don't think we're in Kansas anymore. ..."
DOH!
194. flytrixie said:
shelley bonnechance, it is NOT a 'poop hole'. Think of it as we do--it is a 'rosebud'. Kinda looks like it, huh, huh? Even our vet chortles when we refer to our dogs' 'rosebuds'.
195. Sherri said:
To hell with the collar, Heather. Now, I am concerned about Chuck being run over by the car!!! What if the car rolls while he is investigating the sprinkler? I am going to have nightmares about this tonight!
196. Sunshine said:
Sheesh.
Obviously, the Senator has taken up golf.
Those are the little picky-things you use to repair the turf after you've dug up clumps of shit when you miss the ball.
Maybe I should try tennis.
197. Susan said:
What if the collar decor isn't really a house motif, but rather a subliminal message, pointing to Chuck's "special" licking spot. In dog language he's really saying "LICK ME HERE ASSBAGS!"
198. Kassi Gilbert said:
Upside down works, because when you are looking at him head on, the houses are faced the correct way. If you are looking at him doggy style, then the houses are upside down.
Lesson: don't look at Chuck doggy style and you will be just fine.
199. Tednlisa said:
Okay so I love pictures of Chuck. I think it is GREAT that you left his collar alone. I have family members who think my dog is abused because I put clothes on him. I have refered them to spaghetti noodle shots of Chuck. Your dog is great. Catching him trying to eat the sprinklers was awesome. Keep the Chuck pictures coming. I never get tired of Leta or Chuck pictures.
200. Smacky said:
I hope you left it like that. It's so unique. :D
201. lisrobbe said:
I think the collar is just great! Honestly I didn't even noticed it was turned upside down until it was brought to my attention! Beautiful dog as well!
202. Latisha said:
I like the collar.
203. goddesschristine said:
HEH! Upside down collars are like, so punk rock and master darkmood Chuck wouldn't have it any other way. Also, Looking at today's picture, Heather, Leta has the most gorgeous eyes, ever.
204. Kerri Wood said:
At least Chuck is wearing clothes. My dog's neck has gotten so fat she has to walk around naked.
205. freecave said:
Society anthropromorphizes(?) the animal kingdom where we(people) think that subtle details matter in their world. WE get concerned about the complexes they may develop over such issues. And then they try to show us, especially pets, that they are, after all, just animals and there are more important matters at stake. Getting this thing that spews water. Or with cats, chasing the little red light(laser) that keeps moving, disappearing, climbing the wall, etc.