This week I yapped with Tess Patota, a charming, young English Cocker Spaniel – blue roan, curly black ears. She lives with her Mom, Joan, in Sea Oaks. I’ve been there a bunch of times and I can tell you, it’s one of the most dog friendly places ever. Lots of sidewalks with handy trees and bushes. They even have a special annual party for Sea Oaks pooches, a party called the Sea Oaks Dog Walk, and Tess’s Mom is one of the humans in charge. Tess was so eager to tell me about it, she couldn’t stop wiggling, didn’t even pause for the Wag-and-Sniff.
“I’m So Excited, Mr. Bonzo! I mean, even though I’m only 13 months old, my Mommy says I’m responsible enough to help her with the Dog Walk! I’m gonna be her Right Hand Pooch! And I have a scoop for you!”
I thought I should interrupt before she toppled over from excitement. “I can’t wait to hear your news, Miss Tess. Maybe we can go sit down?”
“Oh, right. Com’on!” She raced to the living room. When we got settled, I said, “OK. I’m ready! What’s up?”
“Last night, at my class, I akshully passed my Canine Good Citizen test! Isn’t that pawsome? It’s not easy, either. All us puppies hafta learn good manners. And be Polite To Others – dogs and humans. I have a real certificate, too. Mommy’ll show you. It has some drool spots, but it’s Official! Mommy says it’s an American Kennel Club program to teach us pooches good manners, and it Promotes Responsible Dog Ownership: that means our humans have to learn stuff, too.”
“As it should be,” I observed.
“So, now I can add that to my Kennel Name.”
“What’s your Kennel Name?”
“Don’t laugh, OK? I mean, nobody calls me it. It’s just on my Important Papers. It’s Windover Whitfield’s Temptress, CGC.”
“Woof!” I said. “That’s fancy! But Tess suits you. So what’s up with the Dog Walk?””
“Mommy says it’s a fundraiser, and she explained that means humans donate money for a Good Cause, to Help Less Fortunate Pooches.”
I knew that ‘cuz I covered the Dog Walk last year. The humans donate to the Humane Society and the pooches help, too. They share their kibbles with their fellow pooches at the shelter. Last year they collected this big mountain of dog food.
“Tell me about how you and your Mom found each other.”
“Well, my Mommy is a Nut For Spaniels. I’m her sixth! I’m a New Jersey girl. I came from the same breeder as her last one, Samantha, who went to Dog Heaven when she was 94 in dog years.
“When Mommy was ready, she sent word out that she wanted an older dog, like 4 or 5. Absolutely not a puppy! Well, the breeder didn’t have an older dog, but she called Mommy anyway, and said she had a puppy with a champion bloodline, but she couldn’t show it ‘cuz it had an Overbite.
For some reason, us English Cockers aren’t s’pose to have that, ‘cuz the dog show judges Frown On It.
“Mommy decided, since she was going up to visit her human son, she’d stop and take a look. So, there I was, me and my overbite, just 8 months old. I had this white star on my head, see?”
She tilted her head. Yep, there it was.
“I guess Mommy forgot about that ‘older dog’ thing. And she doesn’t give a woof about my overbite. (I call it my Lucky Overbite). Anyway, she brought me home with her. I totally love it. It gets real cold in New Jersey. Here, I take walks every day, and meet tons of other pooches. My Besties are Ava, she’s a Husky-German Shepherd; there’s Polly, an All-American. Her whole name’s Polly Ester Muttly; Sadie, she’s a puppy mill rescue Bijon; And Winnie, she’s same as me.
“Whaddya do for fun?” I asked.
“When Mommy dog-sits Ava, we play with my toys. I have a whole basketful. My favorite’s my squeaky mallard. After Ava goes home, I root around in the basket to be sure she didn’t accidentally borrow one. Mommy says I’ll learn to swim someday, too, bein’ a spaniel an all.
“Oooo, and I’m doin’ a special class called Agility Training. It’s Way Fun! There’s this big field with places where we’re ‘spose to do different stuff. I’m really good at it, ‘specially the tunnel, and the up-and-down dog walk. It scares some pupsters, but not me. Mommy says I hafta learn to do it In Order before we can compete. She says ‘We’ll Know When We’re Ready.’ I’m pretty fast, but that getting-it-in-order part, I’m not so good at. I have this special trick. Wanna see?”
“Sure!”
She stood up on the couch, then shot into the air and sailed across the coffee table to the couch on the other side, right next to me. Before I could even say Cool Dog Biscuits! she flew back across.
“How’ja do that?” I asked.
“Dunno. I just can! Takes lots of energy! I’m sleepy now.” And she flopped down in a heap on her Mom’s lap, and fell asleep.
Till next time,
The Bonz