LDOC + Molly the Pug

Happy LDOC friends!

As I walked home from some of the LDOC parties today, we ran into an unleashed pup on Franklin Street. Her name was Molly, AKA "Molly the Pug" on Facebook. She belongs to one of the guys who works at the Blue Horn Lounge. He told us all about her. She is thirteen and half and looked a little gray, but she was no worse for the wear. What a sweet little dog. The owner told us that he never liked small dogs before her. He had labrador retrievers all throughout his life and never would've thought he'd end up with a pug. After a breakup, he ended up keeping Molly and has loved her ever since. "She's a big dog in a small dog body", he said. She's relaxed and friendly, doesn't bark incessantly, and sticks right by his side. What more could you ask for? I felt so lucky to run into them today. All of my friends wanted to pet her and her owner was very friendly to us. A little dog time does everyone some good.

I don't know if the owner will ever see this, but if you do, thank you!! I hope everyone is having a lovely day. I'm trying to pretend that this isn't really my last day of class of college!

Until next time,
Lily

Walter Humphries

Walter Humphries

Just a few short years ago, Walter Humphries took a flight to NC, headed to his mom Haley upon her graduation from UNC. Walter came from Oregon, where he lived with Haley's mom throughout her undergrad career. Their family got him from the Oregon Humane Society in 2006, after he was found wandering and scavenging through dumpsters on the streets of Clackamas, Oregon. He is thankful every day that Haley rescued him and he is now in a very happy home. He's a border-collie + lab mix, and has a beautiful black and white, fluffy coat. If you every have a chance to pet him, you're a lucky dog!

The dumpsters of Clackamas were the start to Walter's love of trash. His mom and dad, Haley and Matt, had to put baby locks on their cabinets so that he'd stop going through it when they weren't looking. He's a silly little mischievous 11-year-old puppy, and has the best heart. Though he started out with Haley, he fell in love with Matt quickly, and enjoys sitting right by his side as he does his work at home. Walter also gives great hugs, and will tuck his head over your shoulder when you lean in to hug him. He loves people and it is clear that people love him.

One of Walter's favorite places to be, besides Chapel Hill of course, is Winston-Salem. His grandparents, the Humphries, live there and have a sunny backyard full of soft grass, a sunny porch, and lots of space to explore. No doubt there are plenty of smells and squirrels for sure. Another one of this pup's favorite places to go is the American Tobacco Trail in Durham. Though he now only goes for a short distance run, he loves to get outside and explore the trail. And speaking of trails, he was even on the hike when his dad proposed to his mom on Stone Mountain a couple of short years ago. What a lucky pup to live with these two great parents!! Even though they no longer let him have access to the trash, they all do a lot of other fun things together. And they give him cheez-its... really made to be treats for people and dogs I think. Those are also a favorite of Layla's... she knows that red box when she sees it.

I met Walter Humphries on a Sunday afternoon at Pantana Bob's in Chapel Hill a couple of years ago. I loved him from the start. He's a calm dog who likes to be near people and who is friendly to everyone he sees. He's the softest to pet and will snuggle up right at your feet. That loving nature is also portrayed to his stuffed animal friends, who he pulls out of the toy basket all at once to surround himself with all his buddies. His favorite, the opossum, has received a lot of love over the years. Though the opossum is missing a few limbs and all of his insides, he's still a staple friend in the Humphries household. 

Big Walter is one of my favorite Dogs of Chapel Hill and I am so grateful to have him in my blog. No to mention have him close by for more fun together. Thank you to Haley and Matt for coming along on this journey! Y'all are awesome!

Everyone have a great LDOC!

Until next time,
Lily

Walter with Haley & Matt in Engagement Photo at the Old Well

Mickey the Chihuahua

Hey peeps!

Molly and Mickey

Let me tell you a little bit about a dog I know. Mickey the Chihuahua found his home with his mom Molly in March of 2015. This lucky little pup had no idea just what he'd gotten himself into. Soon enough he'd be going on fun weekend adventures, drinking puppaccino's at Starbucks, and getting trendy at Tru Wine + Deli in Chapel Hill. Right off, Mickey got a girlfriend, thanks to his mom's best friend Kerry and her Jack Russell Terrier puppy named Stella. They were soul mates and were even named purposefully with the other in mind... think Stella MICKartney (McCartney), the fashion designer. Molly and Kerry are quite the handbag lovers, so the names came to them with ease. Both living in the triangle, Mickey and Stella became fast friends and continue to see each other on the weekends now. Though Mickey is now a Dog of Atlanta, they have a very functional long distance relationship.

Molly got Mickey and many friends questioned why she'd get a dog when she would be moving to a new town, living alone, doing a lot of traveling, and going to work from 9-5 every day. However, it came down to the simplest thing, companionship. I agree, dogs are dependable, loyal friends who will always be there for you. It's quite easy to see now why Mickey was adopted when he was. When I asked Molly how she'd done keeping a dog all by herself in a new town, she responded positively. I believe "the freakin' best" is how she described it. Thanks to Mickey's good behavior, good friends, and now good roommates, Mickey and Molly are well taken care of in Atlanta.

Mickey and Molly have a very close mother-puppy relationship. They bond over excessive sleeping, popcorn, sun bathing, Starbucks, and of course their love for Chapel Hill. They love to travel together too. Mickey is an excellent rider and is always up for an adventure, especially to NC. As his mom says, "it's always worth it when he gets to see Stella." His favorite two places to go are Cinco de Mayo in Chapel Hill (no dogs allowed really, but the parking lot is nice), and Piedmont Park Dog Park in Atlanta. He's a friendly dog and gets along really well with others. He'd play all day long if it weren't for his love of sleep. Mickey's roommate Charlie, a black lab, loves to play whenever they can. Often the two can be found sleeping in Molly's bed too. Can't say I'm surprised about that!

As for other things that this little dog loves... ice cubes are at the TOP of the list. Whenever he hears the freezer, he pops up and takes off toward it. My dogs have always loved ice cubes too... and popsicles! Maybe it's something about the cold, who knows? Another thing at the top of Mickey's list is when his mom comes home at the end of the work day. He'll cry and cry, letting her know just how much he missed her. Can't blame him on that one. I love seeing my mom too, Mick.

I look forward to seeing this city pup and his mom back in Chapel Hill before long! Thank you guys for being sweet enough to do a remote interview. Have a great night everyone!

Until next time,
Lily

Stella, Mickey & Charlie

Mickey doing his favorite activity

Photos provided by Molly Ball (@mdball)

A Day in the Life of a Dog

I've always wondered... what would it be like to live a day in the life of a dog? From my experience of living with a dog and watching too many talking dog cartoons as a child, this is what I've come up with so far.

Goals for today: Make my humans smile at me, snag a few minutes on the forbidden couch, eat people food off the counter, bask in the sunlight on the fresh grass, chase the cat and make her be friends with me

Morning:

Mom is waking up. Mom, Mom! Come get me, oh I want to give you kisses right now! Can you feed me too? I'd really like that a lot. 

FOOOOOOOOD, eat eat eat as fast as I can. Oh man it tastes so good. I wish Mom would put some of those steak scraps in this bowl like last time. Those were, mmm, so good. *Hears Dad tink the cereal bowl with the spoon* Milk is coming!! Sugary, tasty milk. I love my family, and breakfast. Breakfast is great. 

Can we go OUTSIDE??? I see a... SQUIRREL! *Takes off to the squirrel and barks at it from beneath the tree for 5 minutes*

Did you say W-A-L-K? Yes! Those are the shoes! We're going on a walk! Trot trot trot, I've never been so happy. I see kitties in the yards and all the other dogs in fences are barking with jealousy. Poor guys in their fences. But wow, this walk is nice. Mom keeps looking at me with admiration. She likes to look at me like that. I think she likes me. She gives me treats on our walk too, just to remind me that she loves me and to let me know that she likes snacks too.

After our walk, I get to lie in the grass, one of my favorite activities. Sometimes there are hidden pieces of bread from where Mom threw out stale bread to the birdies. Sorry birds, that crusty bread is all mine today.

Afternoon:

After my busy morning relaxing and patrolling the yard, I take to the house for LUNCH time. The humans say that I don't eat lunch, but they always give me a big bone so I'll be quiet and sweet while they talk to each other. I would've been quiet anyway, I'm TIRED, but I'm not telling THEM that. Why would I give up an opportunity for a bone? Goodness. Also, they "accidentally" let things fall onto the floor for me to eat. I even eat these veggie things... it's food, am I right?! Sometimes they taste funny, but my mom and dad are always saying that they need something to balance out their dessert.

Later on, I sneak to the forbidden couch while my mom is on the phone with grandma. Grandma helps distract mom for me, I know she does it just for me when she calls. While they talk, I plan my getaway. My bed is over in the corner by the living room, so I trot over there to lie down, just out of sight from the phone, but in just the right spot so that she thinks she knows where I'm going. After a couple minutes of rest, I very quietly tiptoe over into the next room, home of the couch. I know that as soon as I pop up onto the couch that I'll be caught, so I must cherish these moments as much as possible. What an amazing invention, the couch. The pillows look just like my babies so I play with them sometimes too. Mom likes to come play along... tug of war especially. But then she always gets mad when I win, so I don't know why she plays that game every time.

Night Time:

Time to W-A-L-K again!!!! But first, FOOOOOOOD. Oh man, there are scraps in my bowl tonight!! Ah! Chicken leftovers. My parents are the BEST. Let's get going on the W-A-L-K, I want to gooooo. Off we go, trot trot trot. The kitties are tucked away, but the kids are out to play. They always kick this red ball right to me, but then they scream loudly when I try to play too. How come they don't like when I poke the ball with my teeth? Silly kids. I thought they'd be impressed by my kickball skills.

After playing with the kids and finishing my W-A-L-K, it's time to go home and watch TV for the night. Mom and Dad love to watch shows with dogs in them so I'm not left out during TV time. Sometimes they even let the cat in to watch with us and have some late night play time. For some reason, I don't think play time is what they intend to happen when they let the cat in at this time of night, but I have to run to her as soon as she steps in the door! I want to make her be friends with me... remember?? Goal #5 for the day.

It's been the best day in my favorite place. I love being a dog, surrounded by my favorite people and things all day long. Dog life rocks. Off to my dreams where I'll finally catch the cat! Goodnight, human friends.

Am I fit for the dog life or what?

Until next time,
Lily

For a hilarious account of a day in the life of a dog vs. a day in the life of a cat, go here: http://www.funny2.com/dogscats.htm. I was laughing so hard that I nearly had tears. Enjoy!

Graduation Pictures + Cavapoo Sighting

As you all know, the end of the school year is quickly approaching. I'm pretty sure I've been thinking about that since August when the school year, my senior year, began. It's been an incredible year, one filled with the best of friends, the best of sports, and the best of a college experience. This Sunday, I woke up early with all of these friends and met at ADPi for what would be our most organized photo shoot ever. My friend Jill's mom came and was amazingly patient with us. We switched in and out of our gowns, creating every possible combination of outfit changes. Some with hats, others with just the stole, and even a few with jerseys. It was a really fun day and we ended up with pictures that we are certain to cherish for life.

As we stood at the Old Well waiting our turn to have it to ourselves, we all gawked at this teeny little cavapoo (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel + Poodle). Her name was Ladybug and was only 9 weeks old. Her mom Desirae had gotten her only a week before. Needless to say, this precious puppy had to be in her graduation pictures. Sorry people, she's not in ours! It's always funny to watch people flock to puppies. Of course, I was one of them, but you should've expected that. At first, I thought she was a golden doodle puppy because of how small she is, but really, she's going to stay pretty much that small forever. We ended up seeing Ladybug down at Wilson Library too, getting more great pictures I'm sure. What a great looking dog, just fit for a frame! 

I had a great time getting these pictures done with so many of my closest friends and wouldn't trade that time together for the world. A big thanks to Jill's mom and Kevin for being such good sports.

Thanks for reading everyone! I'll be back soon.

Until next time,
Lily

Pros & Cons of Getting a Puppy in College

If you're a student suddenly thinking, "ugh puppies are so cute and sweet and cuddly and I'm under-loading next year, so I'll have tons of free time to spend with a puppy. It won't impact my life at all except for making it better." Well first of all, you're wrong, even though I am the biggest advocate of puppy love. And secondly, I have generated a little Pros & Cons list here for you. I'm here to help you make an informed decision. Take away from it what you wish...

Pros:

The love and comfort of a dog, of course

Don't need to find a boyfriend/girlfriend because you have a puppy to snuggle with at all times

Makes you exercise - it's proven that people who have pets live longer and have better blood pressure & heart rates

Unconditional love

You know you're giving it a good home

Teaches you responsibility

A dog is a loyal friend who will never judge you or talk behind your back

Guys with dogs get girls

Cons:

More responsibility... this is a living thing we're talking about you being responsible for

Puppies require constant attention

Messy... Oh you used to like waiting 3 weeks to wash your sheets? How about that white carpet?

Paying for food, toys, treats, and the puppy itself

Thinking about going away for the weekend? Sike?

VET BILLS

Time required to raise and train a puppy

I don't know about your parents, but mine would make me return it and that would be the worst.

Good luck!

Until next time,
Lily

Denali

Denali

This week I had the opportunity to meet yet another sweet little golden retriever puppy. She was so fluffy that my friend Kellum asked, "Do you think golden retriever puppies are fluffier than they used to be?" Haha I don't know the answer to that, but I do agree that she had a beautiful golden coat and will certainly grow into a perfect adult dog.

This particular little pup's name is Denali and she belongs to a recent grad and nurse named Kendall. I owe all of you seniors and recent grads a big thank you for getting puppies this year, probably against your parents' wishes. You're all great support for the success of this blog.

Funny enough though, I met Denali while she was being babysat by my friend's boyfriend's brother. Remember the six degrees of separation theory? This is the theory that we're connected to anyone through six connections. We're pretty much there in this situation. I met Denali at lunchtime at Merritt's on Monday and we hit it off right away. She's a four-month-old golden retriever with about as much spunk and energy as you can imagine a puppy might have. She pulled me all over the place in a desperate search for bacon amongst the gravel. As other dog's approached, she let out her first barks of the day. Once the other little dogs came over to greet her, she played gently and was so happy for the puppy-to-puppy interaction.

Denali & New Friends

The curiosity of young dogs in particular is so intriguing to me as a bystander. I love to watch how interested they are in every little thing. Every smell, person, sight, and sound is something new and exciting. Someone once explained to me that babies often cry just because they're introduced to something new and they don't know what to think of it. I think dogs are the same way. They have their natural instincts with people and their surroundings, but they're often caught off guard by new things. Same with us, really. Ever tried talking to your dog on FaceTime? They recognize your voice, but they can't find you. Of course, they instantly bark. If you haven't yet tried this, do it. My family's dog Crockett tilts his head to the side, looking like he's trying to figure out what's going on. It's so interesting to imagine what they're thinking.

That type of curiosity about new things is something I try to act on in my life. Being curious helps you to try new things, learn about new things, and get the most out of what the world has to offer us. In the LDOC for Branding of Me today, the professor Gary Kayye (@BrandingofMe) inspired us all to try new things and to be curious. I may or may not go to a new place and not book a hotel room until 3pm, but we'll see. If you want to be bold like that, be my guest and get the @HotelTonight app. As I prepare to leave UNC soon, I plan to act on my curiosity and lead the most impactful life that I can. Thanks for inspiring me Gary the Professor and Denali the Puppy. It's the little things.

Until next time,
Lily

Dogs & Advertising

Hey everyone! This week I ran across an ad for Budweiser that I hadn't seen in a while. It aired in 2014 and took the internet by storm. If you know me well or have ever ridden in my car or sat next to me on the couch, you'd know that I love commercials. This may be surprising to some of you because most people are so annoyed by commercials. They are way too long between segments of your favorite TV shows. I agree sometimes, but often I don't fast forward if there are good ones on. Sure, somebody is always trying to sell you something with a corny jingle or yelling at you or however else. The thing is, I love these jingles - my boyfriend Kevin knows this quite well. I am always reciting the commercials, in particular for Alarm Force, Michael & Son's, and Crazy Kevin Powell car ads. My friend Francie and I once memorized every word to a CreditReport.com commercial - "I was shopping for a new car, which one's me? A cool convertible or an SUV? Too bad I didn't know my credit was wack. Now I'm driving off the lot in a used sub-compact...etc." Hopefully there's not a video of us doing that online. If you find one, enjoy.

So back to this Budweiser Ad.... it popped up on my Facebook news feed the other day and I was brought to tears by its message once again. **Another thing you should know about me - anything with dogs, military families or love stories will bring the tears welling to the surface of my eyes. My roommate Madalyn always gives me the side glance during the sad part of a movie to check if I'm crying... and most of the time I am. She knows me well. This particular Budweiser ad features a yellow lab and his dad. As he grows up, they do everything together. One night his dad doesn't come home after a night of going out with friends. You instantly think... NOOOO he died, he's never going to come back and his dog is going to be left all alone with no one to love him. This is the teary part folks. But thankfully, that's not the ending. He comes in the door the next morning just as the dog has about given up hope. He says, as the dog smiles and runs to him, "Hey, I'm sorry, I decided I shouldn't drive home last night. I stayed at Dave's." As the video says, "Make a plan to make it home." Get home safely to your puppies and your people, they need you! Drunk driving is never the right option. Be safe and stay safe. Always remember, whether you have a dog at home or not, #FriendsAreWaiting.

I am always intrigued by advertisements that use dogs, and I know I'm not the only one. Those new Subaru commercials with the golden retriever mom driving and the puppy in the car seat, the Budweiser Clydesdales commercials with the puppy and the horse becoming best friends, etc. They all hit me in just the spot to get a reaction. These ads pull on our emotions. Dogs give us this sense of comfort, of love, of friendship. We care deeply for them and they do the same in return. Ads with dogs are just genius. I salute you, advertising people. You've got the right idea.

Until next time,
Lily

Junior the Husky

Hey friends!

Last Thursday night I got to meet a 9-month-old Husky puppy named Junior. My friend Jill (@JillEuchner) had a Scentsy party, AKA a wine and buffalo chicken dip party that just so happened to have candles etc. for sale. We had a great time just hanging out and smelling candle waxes. The event was called "Sip 'n Sniff" on Facebook so I'm sure there were some questions and concerns from my FB friends when I accepted that invitation haha.

About Junior though! Jill and her housemates were taking care of him for the weekend while his owner was on formal weekend with his fraternity. I felt pretty lucky to get to hang out with this pup. He was so calm and probably the softest puppy I have ever pet. I don't know if that means that all Huskies are like that or if he just hasn't grown out of his puppy hair yet, or maybe he's just special. Regardless, I'm so glad I met him and got to enjoy time with him at the party. Jill bribed me with Junior so that I would come... of course I was already going, so that was just an added bonus. We even got in a little photo shoot, so it was a successful night all around. I bought some candle waxes too so I'm excited to get those and have fond memories of that night every time I burn them.

Thanks for a fun night of friends, food, good smells, and puppy loving Jilly! I hope everyone is having a great week!

Until next time,

Lily

Brady the Lab

Brady the Lab

Good afternoon Tar Heels!

Today I want to tell you about this playful little puppy who is brand new to our beautiful town of Chapel Hill. His name is Brady (@bradydog12) and he's a 3-month-old yellow labrador retriever who just moved to Chapel Hill with his family. His parents moved here from Boston just a month ago and picked him up in Asheville on the way. As you may imagine, his parents are New England Patriots fans and named brady after the Patriots' QB Tom Brady. Though I love the name, I'm hoping we can turn these guys into Panthers fans! We'll see ;). Regardless of loyalties, I'm glad that this happy family moved to NC and I'm grateful Ali and Brady would join me for an interview. I luckily happened upon Brady's account on Instagram a few weeks ago and was thrilled to get to meet he and Ali in person. What a time for them to come to this little part of Heaven too! Everything is beautifully in bloom and there are tons of people around to provide lots of petting. We witnessed that first-hand last week on campus during our interview.

As I sat with Brady and his mom Ali at the Old Well, we were approached over and over by wide-eyed students longing for some puppy love. Meeting on campus at 3pm on a Wednesday afternoon, we managed to land ourselves in the middle of at least 10 tour groups full of prospective students and their parents. Of course, EVERYONE wanted to play with Brady... and he loved every minute of it. He had a bunch of toys he'd brought along too, including a red frisbee that he has taken a particular interest in. Since moving to this college town, Brady has sparked a strong connection with red solo cups, making me think this must be why the red frisbee seems so great. 

Because of all the prospective students having a drink from the Well, water was running everywhere. Brady played endlessly and got all wet and muddy. Leave it to a labrador to take advantage of any amount of water lying around! After one of his parents takes a shower at home, he'll immediately run in and play around in the water that's left. I'd love to see that in action! At least shower water is clean and he's pretty much giving himself a bath when he plays in it. Bet his mom loves that.

Though he's very playful and kind already, Brady has been going to Puppy Kindergarten to learn some more skills. He gets to be sociable with the other puppies there and his mom gets trained some too! He's looking forward to being able to go to the Dog Park in a couple of months when he's a little more grown up. Look out Dog Park dogs, this little pup will be there soon! After playing with a Great Dane and a German Shepherd over Easter Weekend, Brady knows he's ready for more interaction with other dogs. He played with a few different puppies during our time at the Old Well and made it very clear that he's good at making friends - both human and K9.

I loved meeting Brady and Ali and I hope to see them again before the end of the semester! If you spot them on campus, be sure to give them a kind welcome to our home! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and get to spend plenty of time with the pups and people you love.

Until next time,
Lily

Giving a Dog a Bath

Hi everyone! I hope everyone had a great weekend and enjoyed all the basketball as much as I did #gdtbath!!!

If you remember, one of my first posts was on my "niece" dog Layla. Last weekend, Layla joined the family in Reidsville for Easter. We have a pond (a very muddy pond) in our neighborhood that she loves to escape to. On Friday afternoon, she ran off and got so muddy that this golden retriever looked almost like a chocolate lab. Her head was completely brown. My sister, Isabelle, gave her a good bath and got her all clean and back to her normal color.

Layla & Crockett

A couple of hours later, after everyone else had showered, I was washing my car in the front of the house when Layla came trotting around the corner, all muddy once more. Of course, I quickly became the go-to to give her a bath. If I needed a reminder that I'm not quite ready to be a full-time dog owner, rubbing shampoo into a long-haired, mud-covered pup was it. I'm surprised that there's even any mud left in the pond. She had all of these muddy, endless tangles in her hair because she had rolled all around in the shallow water where all pond residue sits. After a good 20 minute scrub and scissors to cut off all the permanently tangled hairs, Miss Layla was all clean once more. Needless to say, she was in indoor "time out" for the rest of the day.

I'm sure all of you dog people out there have plenty of messy stories like this too. I also know that having a dog would require more than a little patience for dog moments like this one. Share with me and let me hear all about your stories and pups!

Until next time,
Lily

The {Trolly Stop}ped the Dogs for a Picture

Hey everybody! I want to share this great idea I saw tonight at the Trolly Stop hot dog restaurant on Franklin Street.

After I ordered my moose-tracks ice cream, I started to walk around and check things out. This was my first time at the Trolly Stop, so naturally I wandered a little. They had great posters, quotes, and pictures all over the walls. As I looked up above the ice cream bar, I saw a huge collage of pictures; at first I thought they were just pictures of people who had stopped in to get a hot dog. Being a kind of short person, I guess I missed the sign that said "You and Your Dog" haha. All the people in the Polaroid pictures had their dogs with them and had stopped for a picture. Each person wrote the dog's name and date of the visit on the picture. It was really interesting to see the dogs and all of the creative names people come up with for their pups. Crowd favorite: Wolf Gang. I'll assume no connection to NC State! I look forward to seeing how this wall of fame expands in the coming years.

Like Sutton's Drug Store, one of my favorite places in Chapel Hill, Trolly Stop made a great display of their loyal customers through pictures on the walls. In both restaurants, the pictures make you feel welcome and feel that the place really cares about its customers... at least that's how I felt! Nice work guys. Hopefully some of those pups got a hot dog out of the photo op! TBD on whether pups can eat hot dogs... I'm no veterinarian here.

For my own collection of all the Dogs of Chapel Hill I've encountered, be sure to follow @dogsofchapelhill on Instagram!

Until next time,

Lily

The Art of Meeting People

As many of you know, I love meeting people (and dogs). I want to share some of my thoughts with you about meeting people and how dogs can help.

"Guys with dogs get girls" is a line we all laugh about, but I've found it to be pretty true. A better way of phrasing that is probably "people with dogs get more love from strangers." If only we treated everyone as if they had a chunky little 6-week-old puppy! 

I accredit this funny truth to people's love for dogs, our need for an "ice breaker" to talk to new people, and how dogs make people more approachable. Maybe it's just me, being such a dog person and all, but I don't think I'm the only one! I'll stop and talk to anyone with a dog. Especially in the recent months being the Dogs of CH blogger, I seem to notice people with dogs right away. I'll smile and look at the dog and if the person looks like they have time, I'll ask what his name is and how old he is. However, the conversation doesn't usually go past talking about the dog. Funny how that happens. I guess that's the icebreaker aspect of it all. However, if I were actually looking to take the conversation further, I'm sure that'd be more possible after talking and learning about the person's best friend. One thing is, people LOVE to talk about their dogs, so that's a great conversation starter anyway. The second thing is, most people aren't annoyed by people who like their dog- it makes the person feel loved too!

So why not ask questions and meet new people along the way? People are interesting! Many times, it's the strangers you really learn things from. The ones who you stop and talk to on your walk. The ones who you give a compliment to in the dressing room ("Wow, that looks beautiful on you. You should definitely buy that.") The ones who see you in Trader Joe's pondering over whether or not to get the salted dark chocolate almonds and tell you to go for it because you deserve it today. These aren't necessarily the people you'll pick out of a crowd in 20 years, but you'll remember the compliment or the conversation because it made some mark on you and on your life in some way. All in all, it comes down to making people feel good. That's what I've decided. So it's true, people with dogs get more love from strangers. They are more approachable because the dog is an instant conversation starter! By asking about the person's dog, you're asking about something he/she really cares about... so why wouldn't that start a meaningful conversation? 

Be bold and meet new people. Make people feel good. Dogs make meeting people simple, but striking up a conversation with another kind of compliment is probably just as effective. Spread kindness and be nice to people. Being nice can go a loooong way. You don't know what to expect from people, but it's probably worth the conversation anyway. So talk to strangers every once in a while. You don't need a dog there to break the ice. They help, but are not necessary! Even if you don't get anything out of the interaction, something you say might change the other person's life. You never know if that guy at the bar with the cute dog might be the one, right? That's the art of meeting people. 

Until next time,

Lily

Mindful or Mind Full? Be Like Your Dog.

Hello everyone! I saw this picture on Instagram last night and wanted to share it with all of you. We've talked a lot about mindfulness in the Branding of Me this semester, so this post quickly caught my attention. The caption was "Why your dog is happier than you." This is an interesting concept to think about and the illustration above describes mindfulness in such a simple but meaningful way.

As you can see, the human is walking along with a million things running through his head. Meanwhile, the dog is being present, thinking only of what's in front of him. The dog is appreciating the trees and the sun that lie in front of him, while those are not even in the human's thought bubble. Practicing mindfulness is about being like the dog in this image. It's about being present in your life and in the current moment, being aware of your surroundings, and appreciating what's in front of you right now. 

As I complete my final semester at Carolina, I'm realizing the importance of this very concept. We beat Duke on Saturday, today the sky is blue, I'm healthy, happy, and I'm at Carolina!! It is truly a great time to be alive (S/O Emory). Sure, I could be down on myself thinking of all the "coulda/shoulda/woulda" moments of college, how soon my friends and I will no longer live within a mile of each other, and how soon YoPo won't be quite as close to home. However, I'm trying to be mindful here! It's "midterm week", yeah yeah. But Spring Break is next week! Exciting things are happening and there are so many great things to look forward to. As my mom told me this morning, "Everyone says that these are the best 4 years of your life. They are partially right, but these are really only 4 years of all the great years in your life." Thanks for some perspective Mom. Moms really do know their stuff, don't they?

So from here on out, I'll go with the cliche motto of "Don't be sad that it's over, be glad that it happened." And the greatest part is.... it's not over yet!!! Cheers to the many happy college moments and other happy times to come. Let's be mindful instead of mind full. Be like the dog. Have a happy day because it's ALWAYS a great day to be a Tar Heel.

Until next time,

Lily

**If anyone knows the original artist, please let me know so that I can credit them.**

Sonoma

Sonoma and Amanda

You may be thinking "Williams-Sonoma", "Sonoma wine country", "Sonoma County"... but what(who) I'm going to tell you about is Sonoma Schroeder. A sweet 9-year-old family dog and a mighty fine resident and Dog of Chapel Hill. A "mini" golden doodle (mini poodle + golden retriever) from Liberty Pines Doodles. I promise I'm not (too) biased folks, this really is a coincidental pattern of blog posts about golden doodles. Anyway... I met Sonoma through her sister Amanda and loved her from the start. As an older dog, she has a lot of personality and clearly a lot of love for her family. We had our interview at Merritt's - the home of an incredible BLT and one of my very favorite local spots in Chapel Hill. If you haven't been there, go ASAP. It's not going anywhere, but it will make your life instantly better with that first overwhelming whiff of bacon when you walk through the door. 

We sat outside on a beautiful Sunday afternoon as Sonoma very diligently sniffed for bacon scraps under every table. She was friendly to all the BLT eaters and the other dogs walking by. She'd wander off on her long leash and we'd have to reel her back from greeting the people sitting at the table next to us.. A people person, really. She loves to have her time with her family and spends an hour or so before bedtime most nights resting in the human bed with her family. She's not so fond of other people being on her dog bed though... a little territorial in that way. Somoma also loves other dogs and tries to act tough around them, but she usually gives in and rolls over on her back when playing with little dogs. I think that's one of the many things that witness to her sweet sensitivity. She gives kisses on command and even licks away the tears when you cry. That may be for the love of the salty taste too, but we'll give her the benefit of the doubt and credit her sensitivity instead.

As for the other things that make Sonoma's life full and happy, she loves a good kong with peanut butter in it - ATTN. dog owners: these are great when frozen! For recipes to make for a kong and make your puppy extra happy, go here. 

Sonoma also enjoys being at the beach, but has never quite grown to like the waves. She doesn't much like stairs either in her older years, possibly because of her eyesight and trouble with depth perception. But get this girl an elevator and she's good to go! Who needs stairs anyway, right?

Throughout her nine years, Sonoma has certainly mellowed out and learned to appreciate the calm parts of being a dog. Her puppy times creep back in every now and then and she has certainly not lost her spunk, but she enjoys a good day of napping too. Who doesn't though? She's "tolerant" of cuddles and loves to show her family that she loves them. Especially her mama who keeps an eye out for her during the day and night. For her family and everyone she meets, she makes them happy and takes away any and all bad feelings. At the end of the day, that's what we all need. We should all be like this sweet Sonoma.

A huge thank you to Amanda for telling me her story and for sharing her puppy time with me! Thank you also to all of you who tune in and show love for the Dogs of Chapel Hill. If any of you know any Tar Heel pups, please let me know! I'd love to meet them and have them on the blog. Have a lovely start to your week! 

Until next time,
Lily

The Branding of Dogs

Credit: Snoopy and the Gang

Hello everyone! In case you didn't already know, I'm currently in a course called the Branding of Me, and Dogs of Chapel Hill is a major part of that. In my first blog post called I'm a Dog Person, I discussed why I love dogs and what mine have meant to me throughout my life. Dogs are inspirational in their loyalty, compassion, companionship, and unrelenting awareness of your well-being. These characteristics give us an example of what kind of people we should strive to be. If only we all greeted each other as our dogs greet us... if only we showed compassion for every person who looked like they were having a bad day... if only we could relinquish our pride and love people unconditionally no matter what hurtful things they said when they were angry. You realize that dogs are EXCEPTIONAL creatures when you step back and look at it all in "people terms".

This fall, I participated in interviews for my first full-time career job - a pretty overwhelming and exciting experience to take part in. I enjoyed hearing about the companies, their missions, and the groundbreaking methods they're using to change the world. As I sat in an auditorium seat at the MetLife Women in Technology event, the speaker began to explain why the Peanuts characters, and particularly Snoopy, are icons for the company. Snoopy, a dog, represents loyalty. For customers, employees, and any person who may question the integrity of the company and the people who run things.

"Since 1985 Snoopy has served as an ambassador for MetLife, enhancing the warm, approachable quality that is important to the MetLife brand. Our logo and Snoopy work together to unify the many communications provided by various entities of our company." - MetLife, Snoopy as Brand Icon

This branding strategy stuck with me and I found myself in the final round interview room answering a question from the HR director about "why Snoopy?". I certainly will not forget "Why Snoopy?" and thankfully I didn't on that day. In November, I accepted an offer as a Business Systems Analyst in Regional Application Development at MetLife, where I start my career in July. I am thrilled to take on this role and quite honestly humbled to be represented by a dog.

Until next time,
Lily

Pax: A Heart of Gold

Pax

Happy Hump Day friends! This little fella I'm holding is Pax. He's another one of Chapel Hill's newest K9 residents and he's loving it already. Popular on the quad and all around town, this 10-week-old F2 golden doodle (dood+dood) is stealing hearts left and right. He has a pretty golden body and curly red ears, making him a beautiful combination of his puppy mom and dad. This friendly little pup is always trying to meet new people and sure looks happy doing it. His tail wags a mile a minute. As we stood at the Old Well on campus trying to get a picture, he craned his neck trying to get a good look at the girls passing by... a heartbreaker already.

Pax comes from Atlantic Beach and is destined to be a beach dog. In the future, his mom Sarah plans to teach him to paddle board and enjoy the water, while also learning not to eat the sand. Been there, done that in his few short weeks of life. What else can you expect from a baby? Not to worry Pax, we've all been there. Pax's family has a beach house so he'll have plenty of time to learn what to do. On his first trip, the water was a little cold, so it wasn't the best time to test the water. The waves were a little scary, but with a few more months under his belt and the warm summer sun on the horizon, the beach will be in perfect condition for this pup to learn to love it like the big dogs do.

I enjoy asking dog owners about the bad habits of their dogs, although this is probably not a very nice question to ask I suppose. It does bring pretty amusing answers and makes for a good laugh though. Pax has a bit of expensive taste... he enjoys UGG boots, the furry $100+ winter boots. Whether they're moving or sitting still, on your feet or off, it doesn't matter. His mom explained the obsession to me and it seems that he may think they are little puppies like him. Soft and furry. He'll chase them, bite them, and is overall entranced by their presence. Hide your boots folks.

Despite his one boot-loving flaw, Pax is otherwise an exceptional puppy. He's already learned to sit, lie down, and paw (high five). He is the brother of 13 other male doods and was the favorite of the owner. She cried as he left, as he had already crept his way into her heart over their short time together. Sarah has been taking good care of him since then in Chapel Hill, and knows how lucky she is to have this sweet and calm little puppy. Her mom got Pax's brother, so he will have someone to play with at the beach and for a long time to come.

Hope you all are having a great day and will have the chance to spot Pax around town sometime soon. Thank you for reading!! I loved meeting you little Pax and hope I'll see you again before long.

Until next time,
Lily

                                                 

[Big] heart, little Tar Heel

Mr. Big

Hello everyone! It's me here, ready to tell you about the fun I had meeting the newest little Tar Heel on campus, Mr. Big! This sweet 11-week-old golden doodle puppy got his name from Carrie Bradshaw's beau on Sex & the City, as you may have guessed. His mom, Olivia (livfashionably), loves the show and knows he'll grow into his name before long!

Mr. Big is an "F1B" golden doodle, meaning his parents were a standard poodle and a golden doodle. I'm still catching on to all of this breeder lingo, so this is the only info I've got for you on that. Anyway, this little Mr. Big is a realllll beauty. His curly red coat and white "tuxedo" chest make for the perfect golden doodle puppy. Everyone around us on campus was just "awwing" away at him yesterday after our interview. His parents look at him in much that same way, with nothing but admiration and love for their newest little companion.

To pick up Big from his K9 family, this lucky little pup's mom took a road trip all the way to Dunville, Kentucky, to the home of Blessed Hope Kennels. So far, he is really liking North Carolina and especially Chapel Hill. What's not to love, right? Big's brother, Mr. Banks, also got to come along, and is settling in quite well in eastern NC.

As time goes on and graduation comes, Mr. Big and his mom hope to go to NYC to join @samsonthedood, @hudsonthegoldendoodle, and @neptunethedoodle in the Big Apple. Like these seasoned doods, he's already enjoying his monthly BarkBox full of treats and toys. Wish I got something like that every month haha. When he gets older, Big hopes to achieve the Emotional Sport Animal Certification so that he can help humans who need him, as well as fly on airplanes in the cabin and be given fair treatment when looking for a new apartment in the City. Go Big! This talkative, squirmy, sweet, and cuddly little puppy is already full of personality at 11 weeks old, and I know he has a bright future ahead of him. He already responds to commands like "sit", "handshake", "wait" and "come". What more could you ask for after 4 weeks of training at home? Truly impressive.

It was great to meet you little Big and I hope to see you again as you grow into the long-legged intelligent dood you're bound to be! To all of you readers, thank you for all of your support and for reading today.

Until next time,
Lily

Dogs of Instagram

Hudson the Goldendoodle (@hudsonthegoldendoodle)

Something funny I've noticed over the past year or so is that my personal Instagram feed has slowly transformed into almost all dogs and food accounts. As I scroll through the Dogs of Chapel Hill account now and expand my following to new pups and people, I find an endless supply of accounts. Does every dog have an Instagram now? I wonder how that impacts Instagram's analytics, but this pup lover is not complaining. I've included pictures of my personal favorite accounts so you can see who I'm loving to follow these days. @samsonthedood, @hudsonthegoldendoodle, @neptunethedoodle and @fenwaytheblacklab are just a few. Don't get me wrong, I love seeing pictures of my friends in beautiful places eating amazing-looking food as much as the next millennial, but I can't help but spend most of my Insta time awwing over little puppies rolling down stairs, crawling over each other, looking all chunky etc...... you get the point. I've always loved dogs (Read I'm a Dog Person for more on that), and one day I'll have one. He/she will probably have an Instagram, let's be honest here, and maybe a blog too. We'll see about that. On Instagram there are dogs having brunch, dogs dancing, dogs wearing all sorts of clothes, and dogs eating with human hands (I laugh so hard at those). There's a pup for everyone out there.

Sure, I may be a bit biased toward labs, golden retrievers, and golden doodles, but it doesn't matter to me which breeds you like, I'm really just here to promote all dog-loving. And in case you missed it yesterday, here's a little recap of this year's Animal Planet Puppy Bowl.

Until next time,
Lily

Puppy Bowl XII (2016)

Fenway the Black Lab (@fenwaytheblacklab)

Neptune the Goldendoodle (@neptunethedoodle)

Samson the Goldendoodle (@samsonthedood)

Ellipsis...

Ellipsis

Hi everyone! It's Lily here, and this is one of our finest Dogs of Chapel Hill. Named for the three spots down her back, this cute little Beagle is Ellipsis (...) She's the puppy daughter of my friend Nicole and I've known her since our freshman year of high school. Over her 7 years, Ellipsis has seen a lot. A few years back she had 7 Beagle/Lab/Pit puppies, all of whom were given happy new homes to kind owners right away. These days, she's just a regular college kid. She lives in Chapel Hill, goes to He's Not, retrieves beer pong balls, eats cheese sticks and yogurt, and of course has a friendship bracelet with her best friend. Friendship Collar is a really cool company I just learned about that makes matching dog collars and human bracelets. Pretty cute huh? They're for guys and girls; check them out and go get one for you and your pup! Wish they were paying me to say that... I just think it's a sweet idea.

This ole girl loves to play soccer and always has. Unlike most of the dogs I know, she does not try to eat the ball. She'll push it down the field with her nose and impress everyone in Air Bud fashion. In addition to soccer, Ellipsis loves to go on runs with her mom and chase squirrels... who doesn't right? After exerting all that energy, she gets in her bed (mom's bed) and sleeps UNDER the covers, facing her mom to make sure she's safe. Ellipsis does the same thing in the car. She'll ride in the same seat as Nicole, right up next to her. Talk about protection.

A few things this pup does NOT like:

• Peanut Butter - Surprising!! I thought all dogs were obsessed with PB.
• Water - "The drinking kind is alright, but nooooo way to swimming."
• Being left alone - "Pleaaaaase don't leave me mom!"
• When Dad comes and steals her side of the bed - "Guess I'll take the middle!"
• Squeaky Toys - "Humans' toys are better."
• All of her clothes - A Halloween tutu, birthday crown, argyle golf sweaters, and even a doggie snow jacket - "Please don't make me wear them!!!"

Ellipsis is a funny, super sweet dog who laid out over my lap during our interview and greeted me at the door with the warmest hello. All she wants to do is love and protect the ones she cares about...can't argue with that! A huge thank you to Nicole and Ellipsis for having me and to all of you who are reading! The dogs and humans of Chapel Hill are pretty great.

Until next time,

Lily

Ellipsis and Nicole (mom)

Ready for her close-up