Poodle People

Ryan and Cabo

It took the kids and I about 5 years to talk Dave into letting us get a dog. When I gave him a choice of a baby or a dog, he agreed to the dog, with the stipulations that he would never have to: walk it, feed it, pick up after it, touch it...etc. So, I found a fantastic breeder (let me know if you are looking a great standard poodle breeder) and we bought the best standard poodle ever! Except, he really likes to eat things. Like polly pockets and legos. And chocolate.

The kids love to dress him in my brothers old hockey jerseys.

A year ago he got into a bag of Valentine chocolates and ate all but 5 hearts, foil and all! Three days later, he threw up the foil so I thought he was fine. (He has an iron system and poops out whole socks, etc.) A few days after the foil came back, I noticed his eyes were swollen and red and he could barely move so I rushed him to the Emergency Vet. I'll just get to the end of the story...3 days in the ER, $6,000, ultrasounds, neck cone, x-rays, surgeries, smelly infections...after about a month, he was good as new! The ultimate diagnosis was dehydration because the chocolate hurt his stomach and he didn't want to drink anything. If he'd just been given an IV he would have been fine in a few hours.

Later, a friend asked me if I hadn't known dogs shouldn't have chocolate. Like I put it in his food bowl with his regular food! I just hadn't realized how far he could reach on the counter, with his pointy nose. He is really a great dog, just a little curious and sniffy.

He needs a haircut.

A little while after he had recovered the 6 of us took him for a walk. I looked at Dave and asked him if he ever imagined his life would turn out like this...on a walk with 4 kids and a very expensive dog...he just smiled and held his tongue. And now we are poodle people. (Just for the record, we have caught Dave throwing an occasional ball for Cabo, when he thinks no one is looking:) )

Cabo doesn't mind wearing whatever the kids put on him. Isn't he cute?