An Interview with Tanner, My Golden Retriever, and Houdini Wannabe

"I'm over the hyperactive stage now; just give me a daily walk or dog park visit and don't leave out the afternoon swim with my favorite fetch toys. Fetch is loads of fun, and I'm trying to teach Mom to throw a Frisbee. I could use some help with that, but I guess we all have talents and challenges. Mom says she throws like a girl, and she's not kidding!"

"I love chow time and I'm the master of patience while waiting for meal preparation. What is it that takes Mom so long to put food in a bowl? She rubs her scent on our bowls, then scoops the food with her hands, makes meatballs for Xena's thyroid medicine, and finally, our bowls are put on the floor. I almost always get to eat first, because I'm the best at waiting patiently. Mom and I are both proud of my personal best stay. While we were waiting for permission to eat one morning, the doorbell rang. By the time she returned it was nearly 30 minutes later and I was sitting in a puddle of drool. My breakfast was still in my bowl though. I got lots of praise for that!"

"Meeting mom at the door when she comes home from errands and stuff is really exciting. She always has good smells on her and I enjoy giving her a good once-over. Sometimes we think about getting into Therapy dog work so that I can go out and share my friendly nature with lonely folks. I'd really like that."

"I love going to see the vet. We always shop for goodies there in the place where they keep pup toys and stuff. My vet gives me a nice massage while I get my physical. Mom says I have to get shots sometimes, but she talks to me like everything is fine and I never notice them. What's up with that? Patches, my cat, turns a shot into an international event!"

"Next to my pool and the dog park, my favorite place to play is my doggie daycare, where I go to hang with the 'ruff crowd.' All my best friends are there and we play with the toys, run on the grass, play in the pool, and jump around on the walls and obstacles. The girls that help us play have to put extra locks on the gates to keep me from opening all the doors, gates and other latches. It's a talent I have that is very useful. Yesterday, we had company in my pool, and I was not invited. Imagine that?! I let myself out the front door and went around back to swim with the guests. I'm so smart!"

"Speaking of obstacles, I tried out agility training for a year and a half. I really had a blast on everything except the teeter; it was sorta scary, but I did it anyway. Mom and Miss Joanne said it was okay, so I believed them. Between you and me, I'm much better at Fetch.

"I can't give an interview without telling you what an extrovert I am. I LOVE everybody--dogs, people, cats, rabbits--you name it. I'm so friendly that I get my feelings hurt when people walk by without stopping to say hello. And snobbish dogs; well, I just don't understand that!"

"I better go now. Xena is frolicking with one of Dad's socks; that always means she'll be wanting to wrestle with me soon. I'm there for ya, Xena! Us pups gotta have our playtime."