I’m in a major transition. Recovering from cancer while in a housing transition. It’s a bit much. Overwhelming and stressful, but Teddy makes it more FUN.
Wherever I go, my dog Teddy goes. We are a team.
Is it easy traveling with a 70-pound standard poodle in tow? While staying at other peoples homes and such?
Not so much. (but I wouldn’t change a thing about owning him. I love my buddy)
I did a fantastic job of socializing Teddy from a young age as a pup. I wanted to be able to put him into almost any situation, to take him almost anywhere, and he would be able to handle it, from farm country and rural, to big city streets and hotels.
Well, it is not all that easy having a big poodle with you … when it’s rural. (mind you, I suppose it depends on the time of year and the location)
Right now where I am, it has been very dusty and dirty everywhere, left overs from winter apparently. So on every walk that Teddy and I take together down rural roads, it has meant that dust and dirt is flicked up onto Teddy’s underbelly and legs as he walks. We walk a lot.
He is cream in colour. Ha. How do I keep him clean while in the homes of others?
It’s an interesting challenge. Once I took him to a doggie bath at a pet store in town. It was like a car wash for dogs and it worked quite well, and although not quite to my standards, it did the job in a pinch.
And then there was the place that I stayed where Teddy discovered alpaca poop. Luckily he did not roll in it, but he ran on it, through it and … yeah, I think he ate some of those tasty bits. Mildly stinky. I don’t like having a stinking dog. This is why I chose a standard poodle … no shedding, no stinky.
But alpacas and farm smells? Well, I made the mistake of showering Teddy at the residence I was staying at and … guess what? We were suddenly homeless. Ooops.
Onto the next place.
So far it is going well. Very well.
Except for the day that Teddy was ecstatic to find a friend to play with at the park! A lovely border collie.
It started raining. The grass in the park was saturated but little did I know (as I do not know the area well) that there were mud puddles, and mud, just outside of the fenced area that the dogs were running and playing in … and guess where Teddy went?
Straight for the mud, laid in it, and then straight into the mud puddles … from one to the next to the next … numerous times. He was having a grand time! The new lady that I met at the park who had her border collie was laughing and laughing. (of course, because she was lucky enough to own one of those dogs that doesn’t like to get their paws wet or dirty)
Teddy LOVES mud and water. If there is water, he is in it! He is a hunting/retrieving dog after all.
So I had to get him not only into my car, which has black leather seats, but back to the home that I am staying at … and Clean! I really did not want to drive 30 minutes into town to bath the dog and then 30 minutes back. That would be about 2 hours out of my day I wasn’t planning for.
So into the nearby river Teddy went! The water is fresh and clean (but chilly) right now, so it worked pretty well, and he thought he was swimming, so we were both happy.
Four towels later, and he was good to go have a snooze in his bed.
I had a nap.
***
So there is my first little Adventures with Teddy and Brenda. Hope you enjoyed it!
Love,
Brenda
P.S. So far these trips have given me a stinky dirty dusty muddy standard poodle who sheds when I brush him out.
Teddy’s mud bath and facial after a romp in the park with a border collie.
P.S.P.S. If you like this little story and would consider donating to my new fundraising campaign, Help Brenda Build A Life Without Cancer, I would be ever so grateful. This is my first story, that will help fund my breast cancer recovery, healing and major life changes. Thank you. <3
