'TIS THE SEASON TO BE CANINE
I love the Holiday Season. This will be my fifth one with Wendy (I'm five years old, you know) and I've come to recognize it is a very special time of the year for humans. Wendy's friend, Karl, says it's because of the December 27th Winter Solstice and humans are glad that the earth has stopped moving away from the sun and started moving back toward it. I think it's because that funny fat man in the red suit keeps laughing and giving candy to the kids and doggie treats to us fur children.
One of the great things about the Holiday Season is the parties, both the human ones and the canine ones. When we go to a party, I get to wear my white bow tie (it's hard to see in this picture, but it's there), which looks really classy with my natural black and white suit. My younger step brother, Tiki, wears a red one because of his brown and white suit. Maybe red's okay for the Holiday Season, but black and white is classic, kinda like a tuxedo, don't you think?
At the human parties, I impress people with how well behaved I am, letting Wendy and her friends eat while I just snooze behind her, while lesser canines might be begging and barking and behaving like animals. I know that, when Wendy's through eating, shei'll move away from the table and feed me some of the choicest bits from her plate. It's kinda an upspoken agreement between us. Of course, at the canine parties, the main fare is doggie treats, and the humans have to settle for canapes and cookies. At the one last week, we had a reunion with all my alumni from my Handi Dog classes. Amazing how, in a few short years, they all became fat and bald, and I'm still as handsome as ever. At least, that's what the white poodle with the pink bow said.
But the Holiday Season that I remember best was the one shortly after my first birthday, 2006, when Wendy was Ms. Wheelchair Arizona and making appearances all over the state to promote disability awareness. She and I did a bunch of TV shows where she promoted disability awareness and I showed people some of the things I do for her. But on local TV shows, you usually don't get any feedback from an audience. However, in Tucson there was this Christmas Light Parade, and Wendy's wheelchair was strung with Christmas lights (even if they don't show up much in this flash picture). We paraded all around downtown Tuscon and, for the first time in my life, I heard the viewing audience on each side of the street shouting my name. kids smiling and jumping up and down and saying, "There's that famous dog, Oreo. Hi Oreo!" It was wonderful! Of course, they also shouted "Hi Wendy Wolf, Ms. Wheelchair Arizona." I think it was about that time that Wendy's friend, Karl, first began to refer to me as a 'ham,' whatever that means.
I hope that you guys are enjoying the Holiday Season, going to parties, and sharing the joy with your fur children. The best things in life are free, are almost free. You don't have to buy your canines diamonds and pearls, just gift wrap an Oscar Meyer weiner and you'll see one of the biggest smiles ever. Remember, though, chocolate is not good for canines, even if Wendy is addicted to it. But liver is almost the same color, and infinitely more delicious, at least to us fur children.
Season's Greetings to one and all from me, Oreo, and my step brother, Tiki, and our wonderful mother, Wendy Wolf. May you be blessed with good health and good fortune throughout the Season and the coming New Year, and with the unconditional love of your very own fur children.
See you next month!! Oh yes! If you want to see my previous columns, visit the Oreo Archives.
