A Charming guest post.

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The below is another guest post in my series addressing CHANGE.

It’s brought to you by KURGO but the opinions–and attitude shift from his alter-ego NotSoCharming–are all the Goldendoodle’s.

kurgo harness

Hi.

My name is Charming.  I don’t have a blog yet (www.HesSoCharming.org is currently taken) but I live with a blogger so I know all about how you guys roll.

I’m also an avid blog reader (I love Debbie’s dog posts!), so I totally “get” you guys, too.

When my owner roommate asked if I would write a post about CHANGE I knew IMMEDIATELY what Id address.

You see, recently I’ve been struggling with some change of my own.

Ive gone from a free-wheeling, neck-collared 14 week old (who knew life wasn’t always this divine!?)

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To a harnessed Charming uncertain of his place in the world (note the unmitigated joy on my faceNOT.).

Kurgo red harness

To be honest—no matter what my brave, doodle’y exterior conveys, I’m a canine who does NOT embrace change.

What did I ever do to YOU? I longed to ask my biped owner roommate…

kurgo red dog harness

I quickly realized, however, I was stuck.

In the harness and in the situation.

We’d reached an impasse and I needed to poop.

KURGO harness and training leash

I had no choice but to move forward and embrace the situation and only hope my muzzle would serve to convey my annoyance.

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My smaller owner roommate took the reflective, six foot lead and we were off.

KURGO training leash

And, as much as I loathe to admit it, I felt comfy.

I felt safe and yet still sensed the sweet, sweet freedom my Doodle-spirit demanded.

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Still, I looked forward to the dawn of a new day in hopes I’d return to my old, collar/leash’y ways.

It was not to be.

(My owner roommate has a horrible sense of cold weather style.  One tremendous draw back of the bright reflective leash was Id hoped to trot incognito. It was not to be.)

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I strongly considered running away…

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Yet, in my Doodle-heart, realized I could never duplicate my amazing living conditions the sense of freedom yet security my new, red harness provided.

So for now I stay.

I embrace the change.

As difficult as I initially found it to be—I’ve fallen in love.

I’ve realized there can exist both freedom and security in the same harness/leash combo situation.

(And because I’ve heard rumors we’re off on a CAR’venture soon.  My owner roommate INSISTS my harness transforms into a car restraint and this I need to see.  I’m betting dog bones she’s wrong.)

patagonia green down sweater

 

 

Charming is a fifteen week old goldendoodle.  He enjoys ice cubes, being brushed and forcing his roomates owners to hit unbelievable step counts.

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Comments

  3. OMG!!
    I love this post so hard.
    I wonder if I could use the long leash to run with my lab?!

    • YES YES YES the reflective QUANTUM leash would rock for running as well. Your arms could be free to flail (<–if youre me :-)) and you can adjust when needed.

  4. I love this, Carla, and cannot wait to see where your adventures bring you!
    Kurgo rocks!!!

  7. Dying over this post, Carla.
    You are so funny!!!
    I checked out that lead and saw it can be double, too.
    I want that for my two crazy beasts!!

  8. The Chairman questions the bit about the harness being “dynamically tested.” He knows that the true dynamics come under scrutiny the first time he sees a squirrel and wishes to call a meeting…..that, dear friends, will be a dynamic test.

    • LMAO at your comment and this post.
      My Zoomer would love the harness too.
      Or at least I would.

  9. Did he pull on the harness??
    Mine fastens up top and I think Lilly might yank on that kind?

    • SO FUNNY you say that as HE didnt yank or seem to notice the difference (and the harness unlike the one we had before is really easy to put on which he loved :-)) but I kept initially wondering if I had it clipped wrong.
      I didnt.
      He was easy to “adjust” too (how he was walking) and I looove the black and red combo 🙂
      yes
      I said it.

  10. “I needed to poop” = comedy gold 🙂
    You and Kurgo need to start Charming his own twitter account!

  11. We have an easy walk harness for Tiger Lilly, but she’s probably due for a replacement. Intrigued by the car option. She rarely goes in the car, but she would be much safer buckled in!

    • quite frankly we never harnessed our lab or bullmastiff. It never even occurred to me (hangs head).
      I feel TONS SAFER with Charming harnessed in…

  16. Love, love, love me some Charming. You capture his expressions so well. I love having a seatbelt harness for my dogs – they go quite wild in the car.

    Looks like a great harness option. Yea, your guy has it made.

  17. LOVE THIS.
    I don’t blog, but my golden is a large part of my fitness routine.
    We hike together every weekend.
    I’m going to check out that lead, too.
    Love the versatility.
    WTG Kurgo for picking Charming!

    • I agree.
      Lately it seems too many bloggers do sponsored posts and it’s one big sales pitch.
      Grosses me out.
      I like your stories about the Tornado and Charming and will examine Kurgo now as a result.

  19. Charming–I have a whippet roommate who would love to commiserate with you. Her biggest complaint? The coat she is forced to wear in this long E. Coast winter. You two should chat!

    • I laughed out loud, too.
      My Wolof thanks you because I will now get a harness.
      I’ve always used collar!!

  23. LOVE MY DOODLE – Know you will too! Car harness – good idea… My poor girl got a bloody nose from meeting the dash with her face…

    For walks, we tried the harness, gentle leader, and settled for the big guns – a soft clawed training collar… She is a great walker now (took a few years…) and Super Smart! She loved when I upped my step count!

  25. He’s soooooo freaking adorable — and Riley thinks he is too *wink wink* They hold an ice cube obession in common. Such a great post and I need – I mean Riley wants a harness too! 🙂

  26. Charming– I just love the way you tell stories! And think you’re MUCH more handsome when not pouting about your new harness. RED IS YOUR COLOR!

    You also happen to have *the* cutest roommates ever! Especially the one with the sassy “hand on hip” pose (my favorite!). She reminds me of my “smaller roommate” so so much.

    🙂

  27. My Vetinary eye doctors warn all their patients to stop using choke collars or attaching leashes to collars. It can dramatically raise pressure in your head and eyes. They LOVE harnesses.

    Embrace the sense of freedom, Charming!

  29. First of all, Charming I am so happy that you love my dog posts! I’m sure that Sydney, Penny, Goldie, Olivia, Lily, Buddy, and Coco will love reading about you too. Oh, and you are very photogenic by the way, which isn’t always true for a black dog. Like my beautiful Olivia, it is sometimes hard to see those big brown eyes.

    I am happy to hear about this harness. I use a harness on all my dogs, but some I like better than others. I’m going to take a look at Kurgo when the time comes to replace (like when Coco gets her teeth on one). I love that it can be used for the car too, even though I don’t travel with my dogs very often.

    Just wondering. Wasn’t it Oakland that made using the term, “dog owner,” illegal or something? Or was that Berkeley?

  30. Can I take charming home, leash and all? Seriously, can I? Because I would. I so would.

  31. Haha, you’re too cute. I really need to get one of these for our pup. She chokes to easily in a regular least and collar.

  32. Charming, i remember from my own children’s resistance to change and to restraints in the car that you will get used to it and come to appreciate how safe you are by using it. Trust me, embrace these changes.

  35. Oh I wonder what Teddy would think of a harness?! I wonder if he would embrace the change of being harnessed in. He did well with his winter coat (after 20 minutes of trying to get it on him lol)

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