This week I had lotsa fun yapping with a rescue mix, Buddha Rico, who is a very cool poocheroo. I was intrigued right off the bat cuz, in his email, he casually mentioned that he could meow. I KNOW, right? At first I was skeptical: l thought, “Oh suuure, it’s probly just a weird woof.” He seemed like a frenly sorta pooch, and I was lookin’ forward to the interview.
Buddha was in the front yard with his Mom when me and my Assistant arrived, and he came right up for the Wag-and-Sniff. He was smaller than me, nice black coat, a little salt-and-peppery in the whiskers.
“Welcome! OK if I call you Bonz? I’m Buddha, of course. This is my Mama, Tee. My Daddy’s workin’. He’s Chris. How ’bout lets yap down by the pond.”
He had a big fenced yard. Down a little slope was the pond, ackshully two ponds, with a buncha fish. Big pretty colored ones.
“Bonz is fine,” I said, followin’ him down to the ponds, which hadda bench and a nice little deck. “Dog! Nice place you got!”
“Don’t I know it! I’m one lucky dog. See, I was a rescue, got brought to a shelter down in Miami. I figure I was around 2 at the time.”
I started writing. “Go on.”
“The shelter had a lotta humans who were foster pooch parents; my Mama was one of ‘em. She been fosterin’ for years and there were always several pooches in the house. Well, we hit it off right away, so she took me, just to foster till I got adopted. Well, thank Lassie, Mama and Daddy decided there was No Way they were gonna give me up. And here I am. I’m about 10 now. When we moved up here I loved it right away. There’s all this room to run, and I love hangin’ out with my fish pals.”
“Fish pals? Are you Woofin’ me right now?”
“Nope. I’ll show you. Come see.”
He walked to the edge of the deck and three big fish swam up. “See that gold one with the black face, kinda looks like a mask? That’s Zorro. The white one with the big caboose, that’s Bubba Gump. And the white and gold one, that’s Cheeto. I’m sorta their protector. Big ol’ herons usta spot the pond and swoop down for some fishin’. But NOW, when they get anywhere near, I bark and bark to alert Mama and Daddy, and we chase ’em away.”
“Wow! That is Seriously Cool Kibbles!” I exclaimed.
“I believe in helping others, no matter what species. Like sea turtles. I’m sure you know our coastline is, like, THE top turtle hatching area on the PLAnet!”
“I do know that.”
“Well, coupla years back, there was this big storm, not a hurry-cane, but lotsa wind and waves. The waves washed hundreds of baby turtles smack outta their offshore, seagrass nursery, and whooshed them all back ashore. So Mama and Daddy and a buncha other humans from Melbourne Turtle Rescue helped scoop them up and get ’em back safe to their nursery. Me and Mama very gently gathered up 32 babies. First, we hadda keep ’em for a little while, to make sure they were OK. Everybody should get a second chance, doncha think? I did! I’ve heard humans call helpin’ like that payin’ it forward.”
I was totally impressed. “Buddha, you’re a real inspiration! A great role model for puppies to follow!”
“Well, thanks, Bonz. A dog’s gotta do what a dog’s gotta do.”
I nodded. “So, got any favorite food? How ’bout other animal pals? Do you travel much? And your email said you can meow like a cat. We’re you just woofin’ me?”
He laughed. “First off: CHEESE! I’m a BIG FAN. Me an Mama have a GARden, an I love the fresh veggies, ’specially kale and collards. My vet was like ‘Waa-aat?’ Me and my girlfriend, Sasha, play on the beach, just across the road. She’s an Australian Shepherd with pretty eyes, one of ’em’s blue. My other Bestie is my next-door neighbor Xup, pronounced Zoop, a sweet, basic-brown cat. She taught me the benefits of cat-napping. I LOVE to travel. I fly Delta cuz I have a strong affinity for Delta Biscuits. Plus I get to stay in the cabin with Mama. I’m an unticketed lap pooch. Once I got a pupgrade, and got my own seat.
“NOW, me an Mama will show you my tricks. I work for FOOD!”
We went up to the house and his Mom got out the treats. She said “Jump up high!” and he launched skyward like he was on springs. She said “Roll over!” and he did. Not just one little roll-over, either. He rolled across the floor like a ball. THEN she said “Sneeze!” And, believe it or not, he achoo’ed. Several times. Sounded just like a human!
For the finale, his Mom said “Meow, Buddha.” And he DID! It was no weird bark either. It was a gen-u-wine, you’d-swear-it-was-a-cat Meow.
“See,” he said proudly, “I wasn’t woofin’!”
You sure weren’t! Buddha, you’re some poocheroo!”
Heading home, I was thinking about Buddha and how he protects his fish pals, and helped those baby turtles. And how he can speak Cat. And how he works in the garden and enjoys green veggies. I figured I could really learn some important stuff from him. Except for the kale.
Till next time,
The Bonz
