Hobie Dawg - Best Dog Ever

It is with great sadness I have to say we recently said goodbye to our beloved Hobie Dawg. We are heartbroken. I can honestly say, I have never known a better dog who was as intelligent, faithful and loving as Hobie. He was a once in a lifetime pooch and was such an integral part of our lives. We knew this day was coming but it is still very hard. We feel extremely fortunate to have so many happy memories with him. He will be in our hearts forever. 

Hobie would have been 15 years old this May 18, 2020. We found him in a newspaper ad when he was just a few weeks old and with little deliberation, picked him from a litter of 8 gorgeous pure-bred Australian Shepherd puppies.

Hobie fit right in with our pack of two dogs and two cats and quickly became leader of the pack (including us). He was always willing to please and a constant source of joy and entertainment. Australian Shepherds are known for their intelligence and Hobie was no exception. Training him was a breeze. He literally learned every trick in the book and many that aren’t.

His ability to catch frisbees on the fly or chase balls was incredible. Taking him on walks, going to the park or hiking the many local trails was always a delight. Invariably, when we took him on walks, people would stop us and ask if they could pet him or just tell us what a beautiful and amazing dog he was. I can’t tell you how many times people on the street or driving by would just yell out “I love your dog!” or “Your dog is beautiful!”

One of my goals when we were looking for another dog was to find one that I could do dog agility with. I knew Australian Shepherds excelled at dog agility and I loved the breed. So, that was what I was looking for. I had never done dog agility. So, I bought a bunch of books and began trying to learn the rules. I setup obstacles such as jumps and weave poles in our backyard where Hobie and I could practice.

Eventually, I found a dog agility training class at a local doggy day care where we began taking classes once a week. Hobie’s eagerness to learn and fearlessness was amazing. He never hesitated; even on the scariest obstacles like the teeter-totter, A-frame, raised walkway, or tunnels.

After a while, we joined a local group called CAT (Cascade Agility Group) where Hobie and I took classes once a week running agility courses in a big old barn on the south side of Portland. Hobie quickly advanced beyond the classes CAT offered. So, I found a private trainer nearby where we took classes and practiced agility once a week.

Finally, when I felt we were ready, I entered Hobie into an actual dog agility competition. I will never forget how intimidating it was running our first agility course competition. The thing that really amazed me though was how unflappable and natural Hobie was from the very start. Hobie was a natural and within a few years, earned all of the American Kennel Club (AKC) Excellent agility titles and Australian Shepherd Club of America (ASCA) Elite agility titles.

In his later years, Hobie also became a certified Animal Assisted Therapy dog which allowed him to go to hospitals or senior centers to help people in recovery or with disabilities such as PTSD or Alzheimer’s.

As you might have suspected, Carol and I are a just wee a bit dog crazy. Together I think we’ve owned over twelve dogs and I know there will be many more to come. Hobie was special though and will always hold a very special place in our hearts. We will miss him very much and will always cherish the time we shared together.  

We found you in a newspaper ad

You were just a ball of fluff

You were exactly what we were looking for

You had us at WOOF!!

You learned every trick in the book

There was nothing you could not do

You excelled in dog agility

And frisbee fetching too

Your butt would wiggle constantly

Just like a bumble bee

Your smiling face and licking tongue

Were perfect therapy

A more faithful friend and soulmate

There surely never was

You are one in a million, Hobie Dawg

And you will always be with us.

Rest in Peace Hobie Dawg

"Having a dog will bless you with the best days of your life and one of the worst days.” – Anonymous

Earth Day 2020 - Limerick

On this 50th Earth Day occasion

Take time for some celebration

Give thanks to the planet

Don’t take it for granted

And give Earth a standing ovation

Today we celebrate the Earth

And give thanks for all that it’s worth

If not for it

We would not exist

And that would suck way worse

Earth Day 2020 - Haiku

Be kind to the Earth

It’s the only one we have

Earth Day every day

Our time on the Earth

Could be really, really small

If we aren’t careful

Birds - Audubon Warbler

A delightful flock of Audubon Warbler (Setophaga coronata ssp auduboni) swarmed through our yard today. This is kind of an unusual bird for our backyard, and is especially unusual in a flock. Audubon Warbler are supposedly a year-round resident here in the Pacific Northwest but, as far as I've seen, they are most common here during Spring and Fall migration.

Audubon Warblers are the western version of the Yellow-rumped Warbler. Warblers in general are a variable group of small perching birds that are small, vocal and insectivorous. Due to the difficulty in identifying Warblers, they are many times referred to as LBJ's (Little Brown Jobs).