For Your Enjoyment!

Here is a very cute video of Alvin dressed up like a bumblebee for Halloween.  It was taken a couple of years ago in his former foster home.  Yes, Alvin has been in foster care for at least two-and-a-half-years.  UGH!  Anyway, goodness only knows how his foster mom got him in the outfit but I sure am thankful that she did because it's priceless.  Like his foster mom said on the video, it would have been more appropriate if he had been dressed like Alvin the Chipmunk, who he was named after but due to the lack of an Alvin the Chipmunk outfit, a bumblebee costume had to do and clearly there had never been a cuter bumblebee to grace this planet. 

Also, the predator, Brady is in the video.  The other two dogs in the video, Brady and Eli are the two brothers that used to chase Alvin and scare him.  Brady was particularly scary for Alvin and just like me being miffed right now at Maddie, the cat, I hold a grudge against poor Brady.  Luckily, he's cute as can be and a very sweet, friendly dog but if one doesn't do right by Alvin, he/she has a human being that can hold a ridiculous grudge against a dog.  Yes, I am outright ridiculous and I doubt there is any saving me at this point. 

There are three interesting things on this video to note.  When watching the video, I can tell that Alvin is really stressed out based on how his mouth is open.  You have to look closely to see it but when Alvin's mouth is open like that it means he is stressed out.  Alvin is the only dog I know that virtually never pants, even in very hot weather and so the only time his mouth is open like that is when he stressed.  Who can blame him with the other two lunatics leaping all around? 

Also, if you notice, much of the time he has his head down and is looking at the ground, while cocking his head left and right.  When talking to Alvin, calling him, or there is a noise, Alvin will continue to look at the ground while cocking his head and seems to be unable to ascertain where the noise is coming from.  The only exception is if someone is holding a treat over his head (like in the video) and then he will occasionally be able to look up but otherwise, he keeps staring at the ground while searching for the noise.  In this video, he is looking up far more often than usual and I suspect it is because Cathy is holding a camera.  If I have anything in my hand that is unusual, Alvin will stare at it.  But even with all that, you will notice that he looks at the ground far more than the other two dogs.  Under more normal circumstances, it's very obvious and my mom was questioning whether his hearing is poor but he seems to hear just about everything and it seems to be more of a processing issue.  Like many things with Alvin, I have never encountered this before and I am wondering if any of you out there have ever seen anything like it?  This particularly video isn't the best example because with food being involved, he is able to look up occasionally but you can notice the difference in his reaction to the other dogs, and it's not a case of him looking at the ground for a dropped treat because he does this no matter what the situation. 

Last, you will notice that when Cathy tries to give him the treat that he is unable to take it.  If you look very closely, even with her holding the treat in her hand and trying to help him, he doesn't actually get the treat until it drops on the ground.  Here is the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTbIisRDDQE&feature=related