Over the last 35 years, Skip and I have followed our dream of having places we call home across the country.  We lived that dream for 20 years and have recently worked to simplify our lives and truly ground ourselves on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.  With Pete in our family, we have sought places to go that welcome canines so that we can all travel together. We found Dewey Beach a couple of years ago and have enjoyed long weekends there a couple of times a year.  Each time, we stop at the Town Office and purchase a weekend license for Pete so he can run and frolic on the beach.  Dewey prides itself on being dog friendly, and off-season dogs with licenses are welcome on the beach at all times of the day and evening.  This Spring on our weekend in March, we took the plunge. Instead of purchasing a weekend license for Pete, we purchased a “forever” license. Pete is now officially a resident of Dewey Beach, and we are the interlopers who bring him to this second home.  Here is Pete with his license and me with my Dewey Beach hoodie, back home in Oxford and looking forward to our next visit to Dewey Beach.

 

Now that Pete has joined our family, we are, technically, no longer “DINKS” – dual income no kids. Since old habits die hard, we still exhibit classic DINK buying behavior. We recently relocated our washer & dryer and transformed our former laundry room into a Butler’s Pantry. – featuring a 36” stainless steel sink with a corner drain and a high-curve commercial faucet. Why?

To provide a comfortable place to wash our dog, of course.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Previously, Pete resisted coming into the bathroom where we had been using the tub to wash him.  Now, he clearly prefers the new Butler Pantry with its sleek cabinets and counters, the picture window over the sink, and the smiling faces of his shampoo-ers.

We’re thrilled that he shares our design tastes.

As Pete and I walk around Oxford, neighbors, visitors, young and not-so-young enjoy his friendliness and energy. They ask a lot of questions, and often want to know his breeder.  Plus, when I reveal that Pete has his own blog, many are interested.  He is so outgoing, that I’m sure he would like to have more readers.  I was thinking about ways to help more people “follow” him and enjoy his antics. And, I came upon the idea that I would get a business card for Pete that includes his blog address and his breeder’s contact info.  There was one hitch. I couldn’t get Pete to sit still, look at the camera, and smile for his photo.  After many, many treat-heavy but fruitless photo sessions, I realized that the candid photo that Skip snapped of Pete in his glory, competing in the Oxford Day Dog Show is just perfect for his card.  So, here is the card, hot from the presses at Vistaprint.  This evening, we will have some in our pockets for the Friday Night Happy Hour at Schooner’s.  Hope we have the chance to pass a few out!

Each year, for Oxford Day, the Talbot Humane Society arranges for the rector of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Reverend Kevin Cross, to give a Blessing of the Animals, promptly at 9:00 am. He brings such a caring spirit and dedication to the Blessing, shaking holy water on every canine brow. I have always attended that event, praying for the health and safety of the many pets.

Following the Blessing, the pack heads down North Morris Street on a Dog Walk. For the last fifteen years, I have walked, leashless, with about 100 proud dogs and their owners.  I look forward every year to the experience and love being surrounded by dogs of all shapes, colors, sizes, and breeds.  And, I admit, I daydreamed of some day having my own dog to walk on that day.

The culmination of the Dog Walk is the Dog Show.  All dogs are welcome and special events include: smallest dog, largest dog, fluffiest dog, best trick, best costume, and best dog-owner look-alike.  The rescue dogs are always honored. It is a fun event.  I attend this also, clapping and cheering for my favorites.

Along about November last year, I had the sudden realization that in 2016, my dreams would come true!  I would have my very own Pete to take for the Blessing, walk in the Dog Walk and, possibly, enter in an event at the Dog Show.  The wheels began turning immediately.  What trick would impress the judges? Might Pete be the fluffiest?

At Christmas, the answer came like a thunderbolt.  While meeting Pete, our friend Howard remarked that Pete looks like a dark brown Persian Lamb Coat. I gasped. I have a dark brown Persian Lamb coat, packed away.  I couldn’t wait to return home to find it and see if it really looked like Pete. Guess what! It looked exactly like Pete.  The die was cast. I found matching headband and cuffs on eBay and fashioned a headpiece with floppy ears. Pete loved prancing around while I was wearing the coat. We were set to compete.

So, April 23, 2016 became my Blue Ribbon Day. All my dreams came true. Pete got his Blessing from Rev. Cross.  We walked proudly down North Morris Street (with Skip talking photos from the side).

And, Pete Case Labradoodle was the sweetheart of the Dog Show with his proud Mom look-alike. Here is a photo of Pete in the ring AND Pete with his Blue Ribbon.

Question is – what will we do for next year?

 

 

When Pete first joined us, Skip and I reluctantly gave our favorite footstool over to him.  It was large for his 9 pounds and he really enjoyed laying on it while we ate dinner and used it as a step up to the window ledge where he could look at the window.

Over the months, as Pete has grown to 32 pounds, he has begun to hang over the footstool and found it difficult to arrange himself in a comfortable position.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parents to the rescue! Skip found a larger footstool – actually a hassock.  Kathleen recovered it with sturdy fabric. 

Pete checked it out as we let him know that the new “stool” is his.  It took only a few minutes until he made himself at home. He now happily hops up to his special place when we call out, “Pete, stool!”

 

January 22-23, 2016 saw the largest ever snowfall accumulation in the shortest time in many parts of Maryland. This major event was also Pete’s first snow experience.  Likely any future snows will pale in comparison.

He waited impatiently inside, through the blizzard, with his favorite Frisbee by his side.

 

When he had to chance to go out and explore, he was curious, cautious and bold – that’s because at first, he was able to walk across the top crust.

The next day, he began post-holing as the temperatures warmed.  That was a surprising experience. 

By day three, he claimed the high ground, the pile that Skip had created when he shoveled the steps and walkway.  With his Frisbee, he really enjoyed bounding across the yard, mysteriously choosing places to urgently dig through the snow to the grass below. All in all, it was fun for us all!

Over the recent holidays, I had the opportunity to introduce Pete to several out-of-town friends who were visiting in Oxford.  In particular, one charming six-year old girl, Lila, really wanted to meet Pete.  She weighs 40 pounds and Pete weighs 30 pounds. Both are exuberant.  I was worried that Pete might overwhelm her with his desire to get close and his still limited self-control for jumping up.  We managed to keep Pete under control until he calmed himself. Lila really wanted to pet him and make a connection.  I showed her how to give him some commands and reward him with a small treat each time.  She picked it up immediately!  She got down to his level. She used an authoritative voice for “sit,” “down,” and “stay.”  Pete enthusiastically responded to each command – many multiple times with tail wagging good humor. I noticed that Pete seemed more eager to please her with each repetition.  I was so proud of him as he delighted Lila and helped her gain self-confidence.  Lila was thrilled to have someone that she could “command” AND who would happily obey.

Well, I have long wondered what the concept of gift-giving had to do with celebrating the birth of Jesus.  I guess, I focused on the list-making, the shopping, the exchange of gifts.  What has come back to me, as we approach Pete’s first Christmas is another aspect of the gift-giving season relating to children.  It is the concept of receiving desirable or undesirable gifts on Christmas morning as a “reward” for behavior.  What a brilliant management technique! As the weather grows colder (or this year – wetter), children and pets are more confined to the house for daily play.  Their energy and propensity for mischief is focused in confined areas instead of the more expansive outdoors.  Even though Saint Nicholas (origin for our Santa Claus) is known for generosity to those in need, not dispatching punishment, the concept of earning gifts crept into the time-honored traditions in the early 1900’s. Note the Elf on a Shelf of the 21^st century – those tattletales who visit children between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve for the purpose of reporting to Santa Claus who is naughty and who is nice.

I can see how this approach may serve as a great behavior modifier for children.  I wish I knew how to leverage it for puppies!

In the last couple of weeks, Pete has been more rambunctious and scheming that ever before!

 

 

I believe that my resistance to being outside in the biting wind or driving rain for more than a few minutes has resulted in too much unused energy which he has channeled into mischief.  I can’t turn my back for a minute!  He is grabbing things, racing around, avoiding us when we call him. He is 6+ months old, has cabin fever and is simply BORED!  Oh that he could grasp the idea of an Elf observing him – or that he may jeopardize future treats, including a stash on Christmas morning, based on his choices! It seems that I, like parents everywhere, could use the heightened motivation of pleasing or disappointing an even higher authority.  Skip and I are teaming up to amplify with combined responses. I think that’s helping a bit.  Wish the Elf could add some additional  persuasion!

So, I’ll admit that in the past, I have disparaged the current practice of scheduling so many play dates between children.  It is so different from my own childhood experience when we had the run of the neighborhood and dozens of kids on our same street. With Pete, I have re-visited the concept.  Since Pete is an only and I have seen that parental play does not measure up to dog-play, I have been scheduling play dates for Pete.  His favorite playmate is Chase Ward. Luckily, Skip and I also enjoy visiting with the Wards and so the dates are all around fun.

There is something so satisfying about watching the two guys running full out across the yard in some mysterious game that they both seem to play masterfully. No toys, no parents needed.  They flop down for a break in perfect rhythm, panting – then suddenly both jump up and resume. How do they do that?

I tried to grab an action shot, but they move so fast I couldn’t get them both in the frame.  So, instead, I have a shot of them in “after glow.”

 

So, Pete turned 6 months on Sunday, December 6.  He has been with us for four months.  It’s hard to imagine life without him, already.  He is growing and developing before our very eyes.  I found this photo of Pete, at four weeks, while he was still at Waltzing Mathilda Labradoodles.  The toy he is snuggled against came home with him. We call it Mr. Squeaky.

 

At six months, he still plays with it every day ( a favorite among his dozen or so toys). He knows it by name and will fetch it from another room when asked. As you can see, Pete now towers over Mr. Squeaky. Also notice that Mr Squeaky still has both his ears, his horns, his eyes AND his mane. Pete is blessed with a “soft mouth,” a characteristic common in both poodles and labrador retrievers that is highly valued by hunters.  While Pete does shake Mr. Squeaky, he manages to still hold him gently.  I like that in a dog!

Pete is more fun every day and continues to build his vocabulary. When I am talking to him and he cocks his head, I imagine all the words going into a computer database for later sorting and associating. It’s fun to watch the learning in real time!