Cosmo and Bear

First, a little 411 on Cosmo:

• Cosmo is our adorable 2 1/2-year-old Brittany Spaniel, who bounces around the house like a bunny and rarely barks (he's more apt to chirp like a bird when he wants attention).


• Cosmo has a bed, typically placed in the doorway of a back bedroom, where he sleeps, relaxes and keeps his stash of chews.


• Cosmo's most prized possession is a teddy bear we creatively call "Bear". Cosmo loves Bear. Anyone is bound to see Cosmo licking Bear clean and kissing him on the face. At night, Bear is usually on the bed, under Cosmo's head or cuddled up next to him.


• Cosmo is afraid of our vacuum.

On with my tale: Every day before I vacuum, I go around the house picking up and putting Cosmo's chews and Bear back on his bed so the items won't get in my way (understandably). And every day, Cosmo does the exact same thing ... today was no different.

I started vacuuming in the our bedroom and as I backed out and turned the vacuum around, I hit something solid. There was Bear, lying like a sacrifice in front of the vacuum and Cosmo, like the coward that he is, hiding back in the corner of a spare bedroom.

So, I pick up Bear and place him back on Cosmo's bed. A few minutes later, I am in the living room and I feel something thud the back of my feet. There's Bear, again a sacrifice to the vacuum, and Cosmo backing up into the kitchen:

Lane and I think it's hilarious. Here's our hunting dog, who chases birds and tries to act tough when I'm sick or scared, throwing his beloved Bear at the vacuum in an attempt to distract this horrible beast. Afterward, Bear is always treated like a hero, being cleaned, kissed and carried around the home.