I hadn’t been over to the big dog park by the river in, like, 8 or 9 Dog Years cuzza, you know, that VI-Russ, so, when this week’s interviewee wanted to meet there, I was, like, Hot Dog!
It was Cool Kibbles seein’ all those pooches runnin’ all over the place, greetin’ ol frens an makin’ new ones. Well, THEY all were, but not me, since I was On The Job, interviewing Riley Roo Altman.
When me an my assistant arrived, we headed for the Little Dog Section. Riley had Woofmailed me that she’d be runnin’ around with her frens, and that we should find her Mom, who’d be wearin’ “Big White Crocs.” At first I was like, “Wait! What-at?” Turned out they’re just funny-lookin’ shoes. I was very relieved it didn’t involve Big Scary Lizards.
Anyway, we sat on a bench in the shade and watched, like, a whole pack of liddle pooches tearin’ around. Every one of ’em was black, white or a combination of both, ’cept for one curly-haired gold pooch.
Soon as Riley’s Mom hollered, a super pretty black-an-white pooch came zippin’ over for the Wag-an-Sniff. She had longish silky hair, pawsome triangle ears, looked like a Husky ’cept smaller, an her tail curled over her back. She was wearing a snazzy green an black halter.
“Hi! Hello! You’re Bonzo, correct? I’m Riley Roo Altman! You may call me Riley. This is my Mom Kimmee. My Dad Dan an my human sister an BFF, Elle, are elsewhere.” She looked at my notebook. “Is that where you’re going to write my story? Why don’t we just sit right here in the nice cool sand. Should I start now?”
“Absolutely, Miss Riley,” I said, pencil poised.
“First, you should know my breed is pretty new. Not uh-FISH-shull yet. I am a POMsky. In other words, part Husky, part Pomeranian. I think almost all of me is Husky, but liddle, an only my tail is Pomeranian. Don’t you agree?”
I nodded, then inquired, “How’d you an your Forever Family find each other?”
“Before me, Mom had a regular-size Husky, Zoe, who went to Dog Heaven. The next year, twenny-18, Elle told Mom an Dad she really wanted a puppy. She was only 5, just a puppy herself. Well, even though Mom had always had Big Dogs, she decided a liddle dog’d be better for Elle, so as not to accidentally knock here over. Elle even got to pick the puppy, Thank Lassie. Mom an Dad showed her lots an lots of puppy pick-churs, including ones of ME. Well, Elle looked at all the pick-shurs over an over, an kept going back to ME.
“They were in New Jersey at the time and my breeder, Precious Pomskies, was in a far, far, far away place called Kansas! So the breeder sent me to NEW-urk on a strange, big bird thing with my Dog Nanny, Cassie, who took very good care of me so I wasn’t nervous at ALL. When we arrived, my new Forever Mom came to pick me up in a Big Black car called a LIM-o, with a Driver, and I knew I wasn’t in Kansas anymore. But I wasn’t afraid. I mostly snoozed in Mom’s lap. When we got to my New Forever Home an I met Elle, it was the Best Day of My Entire Life! I had a SISter to play with. Here, look!”
Riley showed me a whole buncha pickshurs of her an Elle when they were puppies. Of course, they were all adorable, specially one of Riley an Elle, both dressed in pink, an one with Riley dressed like a banana. I know, Right?
“Ackshully,” she said, “apart from bandannas an masks (I know how to Mask Up), I dislike wearing clothing. I mean, surely you agree, with my beautiful natural coat, it seems, well, a bit re-DONE-dent. When Mom puts something on me I freeze, don’t move a muscle. Usually Dad finally takes it off me. I also Don’t Like Water. Including BATHS, shampoos an blow drying.
Thank Lassie for Sarah, my groomer. SHE understands me. SHE knows my Quirks.” Riley sighed. “I wish there was another way to look this good. But, alas, there isn’t.”
She fluffed her ruff. She definitely looked good.
“Tell me what you do for fun; any tricks? favrite foodstuffs? special pooch pals?”
“I’m not picky about eating, except I don’t like Kibbles, although, with some veggies added, I do eat it. Grudgingly. Salmon treats are terrific and [she lowered her voice] Dad sometimes slips me one of those squishy human candy treats, Circus Peanuts. Don’t tell Mom, OK?
“I adore running with the other pooches in this park, of course; leash walks are pleasant; the beach is fun. Sand only, of course. No water. I use to chase birds, until, one time, this furious featherball got all miffed an chased ME. I mean, seriously? Freaked me totally out.
“I have tons of pals here at the park, and Grandma Trish an Grandpa Chuck have two Wheaton Terriers, Mickey and Kierra. I use to play with Mickey but he’s 14 in human – Getting Up There.
“As far as tricks, I Don’t DO them. I did attend Puppy School an I earned my Canine Good Citizen certificate. And naturally I know the usual Sit. Stay. Down. But I’m not a Tricks kind of grrrl. I know how to Fetch, which I do on my own terms. Also, Bonzo, I am very protective of my Famly. I believe it is my Solemn Duty as a Dog. If I feel anything or anyone is threatening my Famly, I have this Highly Annoying, Uber-Yappy, Extremely Effective Bark. An I’m not afraid to use it.”
Heading home, I thought about how much fun all those pooches were having at the dog park. I knew some of ’em, just like their humans, hadn’t seen their pals in what probly felt like forever, even in human time. An I felt like One Lucky Dog.
Till next time,
