My Name is
Dawn Ritzie

City/State where I live
Wind Gap

My Story
My daddy brought me into the family as a friend for his beloved Dakota, a Shepherd mix rescue. I was a big, silly 2 month old. Before I saw my new home, he brought me to meet his friend at work. She held me and I bit her on the chin! It was okay because she later became my mom!
I am a pretty laid back guy. Not a lot riles me up, but I do perform a funky dance with lyrics when it is time to eat.
In my older age, I've slowed down a bit. Mom rubs my back 3 times a day with heating pads to help my back. She also puts me in the hot tub occasionally. I started losing weight, having an icky tummy and going potty in the house. The vets thought it was cancer. We just got the last test results back today and ALL IS CLEAR! I had an infection. I got many treats and hugs!

My favorite pastime is
Playing tug of war and keep away! I am the MASTER of keep away! I also enjoy helping my Mom off the couch. Cooper helps her with so much, but he isn't the big boy that I am. I do my celebratory dance whenever I do it.
I used to like swimming as much as Cooper. I get cold quick now. So, I've started a new game. Mom or Dad throws the flying squirrel to the pool. Cooper gets it and brings it to the edge of the pool. I run and grab it from him and run it to my parents.

The best thing anyone's ever done for me is
When I was 3 years old, Mom had Cooper and I at a park. A man threw a stick to his dog. I got it and while trying to play keep away, I shoved the stick to the ground and if lodged into my throat! I froze. Mom didn't panic. Now, we were half a mile from the car (maybe further). I wouldn't walk. Mom.had dislodged the stick, but I was bleeding. Mom called the vet to keep them open and prepped for surgery. She waited a few minutes hoping I'd walk to the car. Nope. She picked me up and carried me towards the car. I weighed 100 lbs! Mommy adrenaline. The man who threw the stick had put his pup in his car and came back to help. He carried me the rest of the way.

I can't live without
My chew toy. It is why my teeth stay so sparkly white.

The naughtiest thing I've ever done is
Daddy left for work with the sliding door open to our fenced in yard. It was Dakota and I. Mom came home and she couldn't find us. She ran upstairs and Dakota was under the bed. Uh oh. She opened the door to the spare bedroom. The door had blown closed with me in there. Mom SCREAMED. I dropped the groundhog out of my mouth and onto her feet. It was dead, big, and bloody. Mom called the UPS man and asked him to remove it from the house when he drove by. One of the few perks of working there!

The funniest thing I've ever done is
I'm told that I'm a doggy ditz and a scaredy cat. Someone got us a wind up doggy toy. When I bumped into it, it sprang into life. I jumped I to the air and onto Mom's lap in the recliner.

My favorite place to go is
The pet store. I'm a thief. I like to raid the treat bins. The first time I did this, Mom yelled my name, so I grabbed about a dozen bones in my mouth and smiled up at my Mom.

I'm completely obsessed with
Food!