I was SO inspired by this week’s innerview-ee, Teddy McNeill, a real han-some Golden Doodle, lotsa soft curls, head to paws, super light cream mostly now, with golden high-lites. AN, I couldn’t buh-LEEVE it: He’s 18 in human. I mean, that a hundred-twenny-six in dog, for Lassie’s sake! But you’d never know it.
Teddy was right there to answer our ring, standing next to a lady. Moving with care, but not wobbly, he gave my assistant a couple welcoming nose bumps, then approached for the Wag-an-Sniff.
“I’m pleased to meet you, sir. I’m honored to write your story.”
“Pleased to meet you as well, young man,” he said. “You’ll haff to speak up, if you don’t mind. I don’t hear so good these days.”
“Of course, sir,” I said in my across-the-street voice, as we followed them into the living room.
As we settled in, Teddy said, “This is my Mommy, Roberta. My Daddy, Walter, is out EXER-sizing. My Uncle Giles is somewhere about. He an I are very close. He’s a doctor for humans an he flew all the way down from Cuh-NETTY-cut so we could celebrate his birthday an spend time together. That’s what the balloons are for.”
“I see,” I said. “I was wonderin’.”
“I’ve been part of this famly since I was a pupper, long ago,” Teddy began.
I opened my notebook.
“For years, Mommy an Daddy were snowbirds from Cuh-NETTY-cut. That’s where they were when they decided they wanted a dog. After lotsa Dog Due Dilly-gence, they decided on a Golden Doodle, cuz we’re frenly an smart. They found a nice breeder nearby who had a new litter, which was mine. There were 11 of us: I was the runt. But, by the time they got there an looked at all of us – a buncha tumbly liddle teddy bears – and spotted ME, the breeder informed them that All of us had already been sold. Extremely Disappointed, all they could do was drive home.”
“Woof! Soggy Biscuits!” I exclaimed. “But, then, how …”
“The very next day, the breeder called an said the person who bought ME had re-NEGGED an Mommy an Daddy could HAVE me. It was meant to be, we all felt.”
“No doubt about it!”
“In Cuh-NETTY-cut,” Teddy continued, “it’s offen cold an snowy, so I had a raincoat, and a heavy winter coat.
“When it was time for us snowbirds to fly south for the winter, I was 5 months old.
“Back then, I was a LICKER. I loved cuddlin’ and kissin’ Mommy an Daddy. As a pupper, I was also quite energetic, inquisitive an, I admit, ram-BUNK-shus. For example, I had a THING about gloves. I LOVE them. I was always grabbin’ gloves an runnin’ off with ’em. I thought it was a great game, gettin’ chased about. Once, at a store in D.C., I slyly snatched a red glove protruding from a lady’s bag. The lady didn’t notice, an walked out. Mommy tried to stop me from rippin’ it up but it was too late. I had already eaten it.”
“Are you woofin’ me?”
“NOPE! Ate the whole thing. I forgot about it until one day I felt Very Sick an, a little while later, I totally tossed my kibbles. An there was the glove! Mommy freaked out until she ree-lized what it was. I felt much better, but I pretty much lost my taste for gloves.
“But that was long ago, in my reckless youth. When I had outgrown all the shenanigans, I discovered my Purpose as a Dog. You see, my Mommy has for years been a volunteer at a place called Hospice House, a peaceful, comforting residence where humans can stay when they are Very Sick an almost out of their Human Years.
“When my puppy days were over, I grew into a calm, frenly pooch. I’ve always love being with humans, and it occurred to Mommy that I would make an excellent Service Dog. So she signed me up for a 6-week class with a Top Notch Trainer called Miss Amy. And, Bonzo, that’s when I ree-lized I could Make a DIFF-rence. I passed the class. See, look!”
Teddy showed me his collar, which had an official yellow heart tag with important Registered Service Dog stuff on it.
“It was easy for me because it all came natural. I LOVE helping people and makin’ em smile an laugh an relax. So Mommy began taking me with her to Hospice House. We visited the humans on request, whether they hafta be in bed or in chairs. I’d go up to ’em an they’d pat me, an I’d give ’em soft little nose bumps, or maybe a high paw. Or put my head in someone’s lap or lie down beside ’em. People’d laugh an smile an talk to me.
“Sometimes it’d take us a long time to walk down the hall cuz the people’d see us an want us to stop. An, of course, we did. An I began to understand that I could bring ackshull JOY!
“By the time Mommy’d been volunteerin’ there for 14 years, I realized I’d been doin’ it for 10 years. But recently, I’ve had to retire. A while back I started coughin’ an coughin’. Mommy took me to the vet and the vet took pickshurs of my insides an found out I have an Issue. I mean, I still feel pretty good, Nothin’ hurts. The coughin’ slowed. I can see an walk an smell. Especially SMELL. My sniffer is Top Notch. Like, humans can smell a hamburger, right? But me, I can smell the burger, the bun, the tuh-MAY-to, the relish, the fries – my sniffer can sort it all out. I think all us dogs can.”
Heading home, I was feeling so much ad-muh-RAY-shun for Teddy, who’s devoted his grown-up dog life to helping humans when they need it most. Let’s all make a Pooch Pact to be kind to humans an fellow pooches every day.
Till next time,
