Friday Five with Alan Edmunds and Nike

Alan and Gail Edmunds are on my list of the Top 5 people I've met through dog ownership. Today Alan tells us what's so special about their standard goldendoodle, Nike.    

Take it away, Alan!

1.    Nike is a happy dog, like most doodles. But I mean unabashedly happy, like he’s proud to be the ambassador for happy dogs the world over. Happy to meet other dogs, other humans, and he would be especially happy to meet a few of the squirrels, cats, groundhogs, skunks or birds that frequent our back yard, or any other yard or forest we pass on our walks. He hasn’t a mean bone in his body…not even about food. It’s almost like he chooses to be happy. Better than the other options, I suppose!

 



2.    Nike loves to run. I don’t mean in short energetic bursts or round and round in circles, because he does that too. When I say run I mean full-on flat-out galloping for all he’s worth, with his tongue lolling out and his ears pinned back by the wind and slobber flying everywhere. His secret pleasure is blazing across the beach at our cabin in Newfoundland. Not even the seagulls get a glance. He hardly seems to touch the sand.
 
3.    Related to #1, Nike gets along superbly with other dogs, a great trait in our dog-walking, trail-hiking, and off-leash-dog-park-visiting world. Lucas, head trainer at SwissRidge Kennels, said Nike is an “Omega” type—that he wants to be friends and please everyone. The description fits our boy to a “T” and we love it.  But occasionally Nike’s silliness can be a pain in the ass with other dogs, and they have to sort him out. 

4.    Nike is the antithesis of pushy. He lays his chin on the couch and our bed and uses his doleful, big brown eyes with gorgeous golden lashes to ask for permission to get up. And, as much as he loves the couch and the bed, he does not get up there when we’re out… we think! He won’t eat unless we say “Okay!” and never grabs any food from out hand. Rather, he gently and slowly takes the offering like a gentleman. The only time you see even a hint of assertiveness is when we are doling out affection like scratches and rubs and playful wrestling-- then he works hard to be first in line.
 

Nike is first to get a reading from Alan's newly-published book

 
5.    While you can probably imagine his full-throated yelping and howling when we are about to leave him at the groomer—and it is full-throated!—his separation anxiety also says how much he loves us and can’t stand to be away. He’s much the same if we leave him in the truck while we peruse a yard sale or if I’m talking to someone just outside the door. Lately, Kali has joined in the vocalizing but in a much more demure manner, as befits a Bernese Mountain Dog. Heaven help us if she matches Nike’s volume! 

Both Nike and Kali came to us via SwissRidge Kennels. Many, many thanks to Sherry for bringing joy and happiness to our home!

The Edmunds family, with Kali, Nike and Finn

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