dogaholics – Page 5 – Me and the Doods.com

Requiem for Riley

Riley, our Golden Retriever, passed away last week. He would have turned 16 in March. Even though he had been slowing down, he was still taking his morning walks with my husband. Then suddenly his body gave out. He was unable to stand up or lie down on his own. We knew that it was time to let him go with dignity.

His passing was peaceful yet so sad. After we lost Charley, his uncle, two years ago, Riley by virtue of seniority, became the pack leader. The Doods seem a bit lost without him. I wish there was a way to explain to them where he’s gone.

As a puppy, Riley joined Cody, our other sweet Golden and Larry, my brother’s Border Collie mix whom we adopted when my brother passed away. They were each nine at the time but Riley breathed new life into them. He kept them on their paws.

Riley was many people’s favorite, including two of the daughters (I’m not naming names). He was calm and mellow, especially compared to the Doods, who let’s face it, are a lot more attention seeking.

He’d sit by your side offering companionship and comfort without constantly having to be acknowledged. When someone came in the front door, he’d wait to be petted instead of almost knocking them over to get attention first. He was actually a great compliment to the Doods.

ELBEE I loved Riley and really miss him but I’m a little hurt by the comparison. For the record, as the new pack leader, I’m trying hard to watch over Gus and Stanley.

Riley was such a part of the family for so long, he even predated the grandchildren. It’s hard to remember a time when he wasn’t with us or to believe he isn’t with us now. Today when I was feeding the other three, I kept expecting him to walk in a few minutes later as he has in the past few months.

It’s also the little unexpected things that make us miss him even more. Riley loved to hang out in the laundry room. It was like his den. The only problem was that he would often sleep against the door leading to the garage. Every time we came home we had to gently push him out of the way to get into the house. This morning, I felt a twinge of sadness when the door opened easily.

Goodbye beautiful Riley. I hope we gave you the best life possible. Thank you for the gifts that you gave to all of us. We take comfort in knowing that Charley will be waiting to welcome you when you cross the rainbow bridge.

Don’t Poodle My Doodle!

You might say that I have a Doodle obsession but even I know they’re fancy mutts and not a recognized breed. From Goldendoodles, to Labradoodles to Schnoodles, they have become increasingly popular. This morning was a perfect example. Elbee and Gus joined some of their colleagues for Christmas caroling at UCLA. Out of around 20 dogs, almost half were Doodles of some sort.

ELBEE Hold the phone. Fancy yes. Mutt, really?

Aside from being a combination, they come in so many sizes, shapes and colors it would be almost impossible to judge a standard of the breed like they do at dog shows. Speaking of dog shows, yes, I’ve been known to watch them occasionally.

ELBEE Occasionally? She’s a fanatic! She and her friend Dennis text so much when there’s a show on television that it’s like they’re doing color commentary.

Okay, dog shows are my guilty pleasure. On Thanksgiving, I was watching the National Dog Show when I saw the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen. It wasn’t a new breed. It was a new breed of judge! Generally they’re a little older.

ELBEE Her peeps.

They also tend to be quite reserved and conservative. Imagine my shock when out walked a judge who looked like the singer Pink. She was wearing a red jumpsuit and had a leopard print tattoo down her exposed arm. She was fabulous.

ELBEE She couldn’t text Dennis fast enough.

But I digress. I was talking to Marsha, groomer to the Doods, about their popularity. She said that people have recently come into the shop asking if she knows how to do a specific “breed cut” for a Doodle. In other words, they don’t want her to Poodle their Doodle.

For the record I don’t have her Poodle my Doodles but it has nothing to do with breed. I love their hair longer and a little shaggy. So do the patients in the hospital, especially the kids.

THE DOODS Just a coincidence that it looks like hers.

It’s no secret, however, that I diva my Doodles. I have more combs, brushes and hair products for them than I do for myself. They are so used to attention in the hospital and on our walks, that they seem to take it personally if someone doesn’t compliment them or, heaven forbid, ignores them.

This week at the adult day health center, their “divadom” reached new heights. The sun was shining when we went in, but it was raining when it was time for us to leave. Not wanting the dogs to get wet, three of the wonderful women on staff became their personal umbrella holders!

ELBEE Dreams do come true!

Stanley, at six months, is well on his way. Of all the places I’ve taken him to socialize, the hair salon seems to be his favorite. He thrives on the attention and the atmosphere of preening and pampering.

Charley posed for this photo as part of a special event at UCLA. Stanley posed for this photo just because he could.

They Like Him! They Really Like Him!

So many people ask about Stanley. They’ve never actually met him but feel as if they know him.

ELBEE Maybe because she’s been oversharing about him since the moment he was born.

I am happy to say that at four months, I can give a cautiously optimistic update on the little guy. Although at thirty pounds and taller than Gus, I can’t really call him the “little guy” any more.

GUS I’m so confused. I could swear that I was towering over him and now we’re eye to eye. Am I shrinking? I know that Pack Leader is but she’s a lot older than I am.

Looking at these photos, it’s easy to see how much he’s grown. He was around ten pounds when we brought him home in July and this week he’s weighing in at thirty.

In this picture with Marsha, the groomer, his legs look so long, a friend commented that she wished hers were like that.

It would be nice if I had a better recollection of the other Doods at this stage so I’d have a more accurate frame of reference. I should have kept puppy books, just like the baby books I had for the daughters. To be honest, I wasn’t that great at those either. I may have exaggerated from time to time or made up a few things here and there. Hey, I had three kids under the age of five and a half.

ELBEE And once again, we know why she wasn’t mother of the year.

As for Stanley’s behavior, he has some quirks but his evil twin with the sharp teeth is making fewer and fewer appearances. For instance, he has put those long legs to work counter surfing, something I’m sure he picked up from Elbee.

ELBEE No comment.

He has also developed a fetish for my tee shirts and steals them out of the closet, something he picked up from Gus.

GUS No Comment.

On the bright side, Stanley is hanging so naturally with the pack whether relaxing or interacting. He spends hours playing with Gus, his former nemesis. He’s learned commands from Elbee. He even got Riley, our 15 year old Golden, to run a few laps around the yard with him. They like him! They really like him!

His leash walking may be what has surprised me the most. Last night I took him for a short walk in the neighborhood. Since that was pretty uneventful, today I upped the ante and took him on Ventura Boulevard, one of the busiest streets in the San Fernando Valley. I didn’t know what to expect but tried to do the calm, assertive “dog whisperer” thing. I was shocked when it actually worked.

He was freakishly good, staying calmly by my side. He sniffed all over the place but barely pulled on the leash unlike a certain other dog who shall remain nameless. (It begins and ends with “e”). He initially reacted to the traffic but then ignored it. There were hints of Charley. I figured that either I’m a fabulous trainer or he’s a genius.

ELBEE Is she serious?

Diva Doods…Born that Way?

After writing about the divadom of the dogs last week, I started wondering if it was a Doodle thing or if it could possibly be me.

I’ve admitted that as a child, I was a total nerd. I considered posting one of my nerd photos here as proof, but that would be oversharing even for me. Finding bodybuilding as part of a long and difficult recovery from a near fatal car accident was like a rebirth. It turned me into somewhat of a diva.

ELBEE Somewhat?

I went from being terrified of speaking in front of a group of people to blowing kisses to the audience. I went from visibly shaking on stage to flexing my triceps for more applause. And while I’m being totally honest, yes, those old habits die hard. Last week, I was in the lobby of Providence Tarzana Hospital with the Doods, when someone called out, “Didn’t you used to be a bodybuilder?” I probably should have been embarrassed but instead, it was all I could do not to flex.

ELBEE & GUS Thank heavens she restrained herself.

Speaking of flexing, I was in the kitchen when I heard a song on tv that reminded me of my glory days. Ariana Grande was singing “Natural Woman” as a tribute to Aretha Franklin. By coincidence, I had used that same song for a routine in a long ago competition. I got so nostalgic, I figured since no one was watching, I’d hit a few poses.

ELBEE & GUS We were watching and we were disturbed. Stanley, on the other hand, is scarred for life.

Maybe that’s why I feel like the Doods and I are such a good fit. I’m a reborn diva and they were born that way. Recently, Elbee and Gus took part in a People Animal Connection photo shoot at UCLA. The PAC dogs were doing pictures for birthday cards and for the annual calendar. I guess you could technically say there were costume changes involved.

ELBEE The pictures are fabulous but I’m a little disappointed. When I heard “costume changes,” I was expecting Bob Mackie and bling.

Stanley showed glimpses of his inner diva at Elbee’s last vet appointment. (A Pack of Diva Doodles).Then it resurfaced in puppy class. Katie, the trainer, asked to use Stanley to demonstrate how your dog should return to you when called, sitting nicely and not jumping all over you. At first Stanley went for the jump but after only a couple of times of Katie turning her back, Stanley came bouncing over and sat perfectly.

Usually when the dogs do something right in class, people will nod or smile. Not with Stanley. I’m not sure if it was the cuteness factor or his enthusiasm, but everyone in the room applauded. As Marsha, the groomer, commented when I told her about it, “Stanley had his first real diva moment.”

Controlled Chaos

ELBEE Isn’t that title an oxymoron?

Yes it is but it’s also what I should have named Stanley. He’s moved into the toddler phase. I’d forgotten how challenging that can be. One minute he’s so adorable, sweet and cuddly that I can’t believe I’ve found the most perfect puppy. The next he seems to be Stanley’s evil twin.

It reminds me of the time when one of the daughters (not naming names) was a toddler. We were in a children’s shoe store where she was happily draping purses over her arm. As soon I suggested she put them back, it was as if the child from The Exorcist had arrived.

Which brings me to a few questions. Why does he want to eat shoes when we buy him the most expensive chew toys on the market? Why does he want to jump in the dirt right after a bath? Why does his energy kick in when ours is gone?

GUS Tell me about it. He’s exhausting.

I also wonder why Stanley thinks that 5:30 a.m. is the perfect time to go out to pee. I’ve been so tired that I feel as if I’ve taken leave from my normal life. I even forgot my granddaughter Bella’s birthday. Actually, I didn’t forget the birthday. I sent cards and gifts. I just forgot to call on the day of because I have totally lost track of the date.

ELBEE Hello? Calendar!

I think it’s tougher with a large puppy. It’s like a kid who looks older so you expect more. They can also get into more trouble. The other night my husband left a newspaper on the table assuming it was safe. He didn’t realize that Stanley had grown enough in the last hour or two to be able to stand up, grab it and rip it to shreds.

ELBEE That was impressive.

A couple of things happened to put it all in perspective. First, I took Stanley to a puppy class for socialization and very basic training. He was great. He was almost well behaved. He was friendly with the other dogs. But what made me feel even better was the reaction when Katie, the teacher, started giving suggestions for dealing with teething, nipping and potty training. Every puppy owner in the room sat up at attention. I was not alone.

Then I heard an interview with Bo Derek, a total animal person. She said that when she has a new puppy, she takes off three months, like canine maternity leave. Who knew I had so much in common with her.

ELBEE And just call me Lassie.

You Are What You Eat

You might be surprised to know that years ago, as part of a fitness anti-drug show, I wrote a rap song called You Are What You Eat. I’ll only share the first verse. “When you get up in the mornin’ and you gotta move swift, don’t forget about breakfast. Breakfast, desayuno, petit dejeuner, no matter how you say it there is no way, to skip this meal at the break of day.”

ELBEE Oy vey, I find this disturbing in so many ways but I can’t get the song out of my head.

I’m almost embarrassed to admit that there were a few dance moves involved. That was especially challenging for someone who, as a kid, was a ballet school drop out. In case you’re wondering why I’m writing about something so random…

ELBEE That’s exactly what I was wondering after I recovered from picturing the dance moves.

Stanley was a very picky eater when I brought him home. Forgetting that he was adjusting to so many changes, like leaving his family, I started obsessing about his nutrition. It’s such a key to puppy development, especially in a larger dog. In the midst of worrying and not sleeping, the song just popped into my head and stayed there.

Before I knew it, his appetite kicked in. Now it seems like he’s always hungry. At mealtimes, he sprints over and waits impatiently with the pack. Since each dog has his own spot, I put Stanley’s bowl inside his fence, concerned that the others might steal his food. Boy was I wrong on that one. Stanley is the thief. We can’t let him out of his pen until they’re all finished or he’ll devour anything they’ve left.

GUS I have a confession. I eat as slowly as possible to keep Stanley caged up. I’m getting used to him but I need my space. (See: I Vant to be Alone)

Apparently, Gus has another confession to make. Yesterday, while I was getting ready to leave, their food arrived from Chewy.com. I pulled the thick, heavy cardboard box into the front hallway so that no one would steal it. I’ve done this countless times before and the dogs have never done anything more than stare longingly at the carton.

To my surprise, when I arrived home, the box was ripped to shreds. There were pieces of cardboard all over the floor and some of the food bags had been torn open. Stanley was in his pen so he was off the hook. There was no doubt in my mind as to the culprits. I’m sure it was Elbee with Gus as his wingman. I think with Stanley’s newfound appetite, they’re protecting their interests.

ELBEE AND GUS She can never prove it. We set up Riley to take the fall.

Socializing Stanley

At his young age, Stanley has already experienced rejection. No, not from Gus who tolerates him now. As I shared last week, Gus was ready to move out. He was hoping to get an apartment with his UCLA buddy Tommy the Bichon. Problem was that after Tommy checked realtor.com., they realized that they couldn’t afford to get a place with their joint non-salaries. Not to mention that a lot of places don’t allow dogs.

ELBEE Isn’t that species profiling?

Believe it or not, Stanley booked a commercial! Not just any commercial but a commercial for a Mercedes van. He immediately had visions of glory.

ELBEE The little guy doesn’t even know what a Mercedes is. HE had visions of glory?

Then just a day or two before the shoot, I received an e-mail that he was too young. He had missed the cut off age by about a week. To distract him from this disappointment, I started socializing Stanley. This is crucial for any puppy, but especially for one that I hope will follow in the paw prints of his big brothers.

ELBEE Oh and I’m sure he was bitterly disappointed about the commercial.

Therapy dogs need to be comfortable with all sorts of people in all sorts of situations. As I had with the others, I became a woman on a mission. He’s not allowed out for walks before all of his vaccinations, so I carried him everywhere.

We stopped in at the health club. We met friends at Starbucks. I reintroduced him to his groomer Marsha and introduced him to my “groomer” Brian. We checked out the clothes at dog friendly stores. Even his appointment at the vet became an opportunity to socialize.

No matter where we went, the reactions were the same. Huge smiles, squeals of “he’s so cute,” followed by arms reaching out to hold him. He snuggled up to each and every person. He loved the attention.

There was none of the puppy nipping or craziness. He was like the lawyer daughter who as an adolescent told me that she could be well behaved at home or when she was out but not both. Apparently, Stanley has chosen to be super puppy when he’s out.

There was another positive that I had been hoping for. Several people were curious as to why I had chosen the name Stanley. Of course that was my chance to tell them about my late brother Stanley whom I’ve written about so often. What I miss about him the most in these troubled times is his sense of humor. He was one of the only people I’ve ever known who could make me laugh until I cried.

ELBEE Or peed.

The Dog Days of Summer

ELBEE She should have called this “Ramblings from a Sleep Deprived Woman.”

I’ve come to the realization that a puppy is an infant and a toddler all rolled into one with a touch of bipolar disorder on the side. One minute Stanley is cuddling in my arms. The next he’s attacking a shoe like a Tasmanian devil.

It’s ironic that the “dog” days of summer, that hot miserable time of the year, when even dogs just want to lie around, may be the most difficult time to train a puppy. Take housebreaking for example. I have to convince Stanley to go out into the yard instead of into the air conditioned family room to “go potty.” On the bright side, once he pees, he runs back into the house like an olympic sprinter.

This past week has been even more “dogcentric” than usual. Part of raising a puppy, especially one that I hope will become a therapy dog, is spending time together. Stanley and I have bonded.

ELBEE Bonded? She was taking selfies with him in the kitchen!

Aside from bonding, integrating him into the pack has been a priority. When we lost Charley, there was a major shift in the dynamic of the pack. (A Different Dynamic ). Now with Stanley’s arrival there is another huge change.

With one slight exception, which I’ll get to shortly, things have gone pretty well. Stanley loves Riley, our very tolerant fifteen year old Golden. Similar in color, when Stanley snuggles close to him, it’s hard to see where one ends and the other begins.

Elbee has been the biggest surprise. I’m not sure if it’s his age or that he’s passed the diva torch to Gus, but he has been incredibly patient. Not only does he let the little guy crawl on him, but he lets him lick his hair and kind of twist it into braids.

ELBEE Don’t ask.

Gus has had a much tougher adjustment. It seems that it’s hard, even for dogs, to give up their position as the baby of the family. At best he tolerated Stanley’s arrival but in the last couple of days, I’ve seen a definite change. Not only does he let Stanley rest next to him, but he actually initiated a game of chase. I was able to get this group picture without having to photo shop Gus into it.

GUS I’m almost starting to like Stanley but it was touch and go for awhile. I thought about trying to contact my Bichon buddy Tommy from UCLA. He has an annoying new three year old sister so I figured he might want to move out and get an apartment with me.

Signs

We are surrounded by signs, in the neighborhood and in the universe. Walking with the Doods, I see so many postings for missing pets. They’re usually dogs and cats or an occasional bird but I’ve seen one for a “friendly” monitor lizard and another for a snake. Really?

I also see signs for jobs, estate sales and lessons. I don’t know whether to learn to dance, sing or swim.

THE DOODS We’d suggest the singing lessons. Just a thought.

There are also messages on homes and businesses. I’ve lost count of how many I’ve seen that say “Beware of Dog.” One house had a “Beware of Dog” sign and another that said, “Celebrate Life.”

ELBEE Is that a mixed message?

Then there’s this unique sign in the window of a local barber shop. (I did a tiny bit of editing.)

There are more subtle signs in nature like the floating butterflies. They remind us that the pets we’ve lost are still watching over us. In March, I shared that when I was in the mountains, standing under “Charley’s tree,” he gave me a sign that it was time to look for a new dog. Unfortunately, he didn’t include directions for finding it.

After searching all sorts of rescues with no luck, I searched my conscience. I decided, that despite my own guilt and the guilt that countless people laid on me, I was going to look for a puppy. After all, I was hoping it would grow up to honor Charley by doing amazing things. I still had no luck.

Then, all of a sudden, the universe started sending me signs. Marsha, the groomer, texted that she had just met a four month old Doodle whose demeanor reminded her of Charley. Even better, the breeder was local. That was so important to me because with all of the terrible “animal on plane” stories lately, there was no way I was going to ship a dog.

ELBEE Ship? As if! I’d insist on at least business class.

The signs just kept on coming. The breeder has the same name as one of the daughters. Plus she went to UCLA!

ELBEE She forgot to mention that it’s Jennifer, the same as the non-dog loving daughter. Is that a sign?

I found out they were expecting a litter in late spring, so immediately got on the waiting list. Despite the fact that I’m terrible at waiting, I managed not to bombard them with phone calls.

About a week ago, not really sure when the puppies were due, I casually emailed just to see how things were progressing. Billy, the husband, got right back to me with the most exciting news. He had been up until 4 in the morning delivering the pups! He usually doesn’t announce the litter for 48 hours so I had an exclusive! If that isn’t a sign, what is?

Stay tuned for more puppy updates. I even have a name picked out, but like the royal family in England, I’ll announce it later.

ELBEE Oy vey

Gus and the Laker Girls

This week UCLA health held a special event, “Discover the Power of U,” to showcase their innovative mobile stroke unit and their partnership with the Lakers. After a difficult period, with the loss of two young lives, it was nice to have something to celebrate. Gus and his PAC colleagues were invited to take part.

As soon as I received the email saying that we could add some “Laker flare” to our dogs, I immediately got Marsha, Gus’s groomer and colorist, on speed dial. You may know that Gus is a “dye” hard Laker fan. Remember this Halloween photo with Brandon Ingram at Mattel Children’s hospital? (Does this Picture Make Me Look Short?) It was time again to go for the purple and gold.

ELBEE OMG when Pack Leader tries to be “punny,” I cringe.

The atmosphere at the event was festive. The dogs all mingled, charming and entertaining everyone. Even better for Gus, there was kind of a wind tunnel effect between the high rise buildings in Century City so his hair was blowing like there was a diva fan. Someone jokingly asked if he had a Brazilian blowout. Note to self: ask Marsha about Brazilian blowouts for dogs.

ELBEE Okay, I am officially jealous. I love a good diva fan.

Gus was having the time of his life. He has a combination of Charley’s sweetness and Elbee’s love of attention so he was in his glory. With his fabulous gold and purple hair flying in the wind and his Laker t-shirt, he was kissing up to everyone around him. His tail never stopped wagging and I swear he did a few tricks on his own.

GUS I really was on top of my game.

Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, two of the Laker girls arrived. It was love at first sight. Gus took to them and they got a kick out of his whole getup. They were such good sports. They even laughed when I had him do his little dance for them, kind of an impromptu audition.

ELBEE She may be on to something. Gus can be the first Laker dog and I can be his manager. Forget jealousy, I’m feeling cautiously optimistic.

After a couple hours of preening and posing, Gus was exhausted. As we were getting ready to leave, one of the organizers came over to say goodbye. Laughing she said, “this event was supposed to be about the stroke unit but all I kept hearing about was Laker Gus!”

ME AND ELBEE We both have to admit that we’re proud of the little guy.