It’s a special Friday for us!
We are celebrating Zoey’s 9th birthday! While it does feel like Zoey has been with me for a long time, it’s hard to believe that she’s actually nine. Zoey is still spunky, active and playful. While she might not be up for chasing the ball like she did in her youth, she still enjoys long walks, running around in the back yard and wrestling with Benji. I joke that with each year she gets older, she has less regard for any kind of house rules. Girlfriend does whatever she wants.
Here are some of Zoey’s favorite things:
- FOOD – Zoey has always been extremely food motivated. I’m always so perplexed by people who say their dogs are grazers. Zoey comes in and eats her food in less than 45 seconds. You would actually think she’s starving based on the lengths she’ll go to get any morsel of food. She loves all the normal things (dog treats, chicken, etc) but also loves crunchy veggies like carrots and cucumbers. I often use baby carrots as a treat for her. Funny story, she has trained humans to ask her if she wants a cookie in order to come in the house after her last trip out at night. She will stand on the back patio and stare at you unless you say the magic C word. I always have to let my pet sitters know about this. 🙂
- Barking at nothing – Zoey loves to make her presence known in the back yard (especially if it’s dark out) by barking at seemingly nothing.
- Attention – Zoey loves all the pats and attention she can get. She does that golden nudge where she noses her head under your hand to get a pat. If she can’t get you to pat her with your hand, she’ll step her leg over your foot and try to get you to use your foot to rub her belly.
- Sticks and chewing on hard things – Sullie loved soft toys and wouldn’t tear them up. Zoey will shred them as soon as possible. She prefers hard bones and sticks. She’ll often try bringing sticks in the house from the yard.
- Finn and her family – Zoey loves Finn and is so wonderfully amazing with him. She loves it best when all of us are home together and we are usually all in the same room.
I got Zoey as a puppy when Sullie was eight. At the time I had been wanting a second golden for about a year. I thought it would be good for keeping Sullie active in her golden years and I selfishly wanted my next dog to have a connection with Sullie.
These two shared five fun-filled years together during which we gained another member of the pack – Finn! 🙂
Zoey has been with Finn for the entirety of his five years and he absolutely adores her. I have never had any issues with these two, which I feel so grateful for. She’s always been gentle and patient, and I’ve really worked with Finn on respecting her. He loves helping me take care of Zoey by feeding her, brushing her, bathing her, walking her, etc. I think it’s been such a gift for both of them to grow up together.
I told Finn it was her birthday on the way to school today and he was bummed that he wouldn’t get to celebrate since he was going to his dad’s after school. He’ll be home for a few hours on Sunday afternoon so I’m going to surprise him with a surprise party for Zoey!
I have a tender place in my heart for senior goldens. We will shower Zoey with love and attention and make her golden years as special as we possibly can. Happy birthday sweet girl!
QUESTIONS
Is your dog food motivated?
Are there any things that your dog has trained YOU to do?
What’s the funniest food that your dog likes to eat?
How many dogs do you have?
