New Doodle Humor Article - When Your Dog is a Pussy Cat

[Amy Vansant Brunell]

By Amy Vansant
From: KidFreeLiving.com Humor Blog

Knocking on my front door unleashes Gordon’s inner-Hell Hound. My Labradoodle’s bark sounds like 200 pounds of pure muscle and gnashing teeth. Pitbull schmittbull. Beware the mean-ass Doodle.

Alas, in reality, he is a 60lb Muppet. We joke that if a robber ever came into the house, Gordon would proceed to show him around the house, pointing out where we keep the silver and jewelry as he went. If the robber brought a treat, Gordon would help him pack our stuff. About the only chance we would have is if Gordon squiggle excitedly through the robber’s legs during his “happy to see you!!!” dance, the thief tripped, and managed to crack his head on the kitchen counter.

Simply put — our dog is a pussy cat.

It isn’t just the general friendly demeanor that makes our pup such a pushover. Sitting in the backyard, watching Gordon make his daily sniff of the perimeter, we will see him suddenly running across the yard, his back end moving faster than his front, nervously glancing behind him the entire way like he’s being chased by a Mama Grizzly Bear (a real one, not a Sarah Palin one).

He is, of course, not being chased by a grizzly bear. Or a mean stray dog, or a rabid squirrel or a particularly relentless Girl Scout selling cookies.  In reality, a scary leaf fell from a tree and landed on his rump when he didn’t expect it, sending him into a panicked sprint across the yard to mommy and daddy.

This happens about once a week.

If there is thunder outside,  you have to be sure to switch the light before you go into any bathroom, or you’ll find a lumpy, furry bathmat underfoot. I guess bathrooms are the closest thing to a bomb shelter Gordon can find when the terrifying booming starts. This behavior started after we went camping at my brother-in-law’s hunting spot and he shot a gun with Gordon nearby, but safely behind him. As soon as that gun went off, Gordon stood up, said; “Thanks for the treats, gotta go!” and took off at light speed in the opposite direction. He had changed his name and was living with another family four states away before we knew what happened.

Side note: I have to give the best Thunder Shelter award to my last dog, Duppy, a white mutt who basically looked like someone’s beautiful Samoyed got loose and mated with the scruffiest stray in the neighborhood. (I found him, so I don’t know his parentage for sure, but let’s just say someone was clearly slumming.)  Anyway, once during a thunder storm I found Duppy under the bathroom sink behind a solid wall of relatively undisturbed toilet paper rolls. He was a good 45lbs – to this day I have no idea how he got back there without knocking over the rolls. I swear he got so scared he teleported himself to that spot.

Back to my current scaredy-cat. We have a pair of Dachshunds in the neighborhood who take daily walks with their owners. If Gordon is on his perch in the bay window, he’ll bark at them as they pass like a big tough guy. Why wouldn’t he really… he outweighs them by about 50lbs. Then, the other day, he was out getting the paper when he spotted the two old hot dogs trotting up the street. He immediately grabbed his newspaper and skittered up the driveway in such a panic that he knocked over a plant on the porch as he whipped into the house. Two leashed wiener dogs 100 feet away had just sent him flying into the house like he was being chased by fanged demons.

Gordon’s other nemeses behind the glass of that bay window are the two or three cats we have in the neighborhood.  They walk right up on the porch and defiantly stare at him, while he has a meltdown growling and barking, punching the glass with his paws. He doesn’t fool them. Once he got out and ran right up to a cat who just stood its ground and arched its back. In an instant, Gordon went totally cat-blind. One second he was out for blood, the next second he was innocently wandering away from the scene of the oncoming nose-swatting, looking everywhere but at the cat. He stood two feet from the cat and refused to look at it or acknowledge it in any way. Then he nonchalantly sniffed around the yard a moment and came in like nothing had happened. Cat? What cat? I didn’t see any cat. Stop your crazy talk, Mommy.

We should have seen this coming. When he was about two we found Gordon sitting out in the yard, nose to nose with a baby bird just learning to fly. He lay there for 15 minutes, carefully snorfing the baby bird, and then he just wandered away. Even a baby bird didn’t see the point of escape from the Cowardly Doodle.

So basically he’s a Disney dog.  Barking, cartoon foam flying everywhere – and then in the next scene talking to the blue bird sitting on his nose.

*Note to robbers: The wimpy dog story is not entirely true. If you broke into our house he would tear you limb from limb. He would actually tie you up first and torture you, Dexter-like, until you begged to be put out of your misery. Just so you know.

[Linda and Murphy]

This morning I had to walk Murphy very early, before sunrise. On the way back, in front of our house, the elementary kids were waiting for the bus (first time this year). He goes into full panic mode, barking like crazy at the 3ft tall monsters in the dark. He couldn't get to the front porch fast enough. Did I mention he weighs 100 lbs?

[Penny, Comiskey & Beemer]

Great story....wonderful read...looking forward to more

[shelly]

Amy - I LOVE your writing! I even subscribed to updates on my e-mail! Wonderful and witty! How IS Gordon doing?

[Amy Vansant Brunell]

Thank you! He's doing much better. All signs point to his issues being caused by an injury that just wasn't healing. I had him on anti-inflammatories for a week and a half and he has been much better since.

[Christine & Shelby]

Love this article. Shelby is not a scaredy cat, but she is a gentle soul. She loves all living creatures.... wants to say hello to every cat, frog and bird we pass by! Great alert dog who would likely just lick an intruder to death! Gotta love my doodle!

[Lauria Orr]

This just made me howl! (well, not really "howl"! ) Oh my gosh, you are so funny! Gordon sounds like such a character! He must be feeling much better, and I surely hope so! Some of these Doodles really are cowardly, at least Melody is. If a leaf landed on her back, she would be like Gordon.....running as if shot out of a cannon! I did order the "Thundershirt" for Melody, and she is doing much better, actually. My sister tried it on her Havanese, who is also afraid of his shadow, and she ordered one today. It mellowed him right out, just as it did Melody. AMAZING! Please keep writing about Gordon...the life an times!

[Amy Vansant Brunell]

Really... I'll check that shirt out, thanks!

[Lauria Orr]

Amy,

The toys I ordered from you are wonderful!!!! They are 7's on the durability scale, and Melody hasn't shred them! I gave 2 as gifts at a Goldendoodle welcome party. I hope those 2 are enjoying them. Thank you so much for offering the discount when you did. I would otherwise not have realized what you did! The "Thundershirt" really is proving to be a help. I hope you write again soon about Gordon. After what he has been through, and your sharing about him, I feel like I know him!!!!!! Plus, you are so funny and a great writer. Take good care! Can you tell me again the name of your store? I want to suggest it on the "good toys" page if it is not already there. Thanks.

[Amy Vansant Brunell]

http://www.DoodleSport.com (of course! :) )

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Our Springer, Gordie, is afraid of feathers - or even what he thinks might be a feather. He is not afraid of birds and will chase geese and ducks, but loose feathers dropped by a bird or duck.....Gordie jumps back like he was burned.

[Amy Vansant Brunell]

that is hilarious!

[Tara L P]

Just subscribed to your blog--Hilarious!!! It's amazing how similiar all doodles are.