Riley, Perkins, Tucker & Hoskins: Puppies At Law
My cell phone rang, and when answering it, an unexpected and very interesting piece of news came my way not too long ago.
Before I knew it, things would be changing.
On a trip up to Michigan recently, I was relaxing on the couch in my parents' living room when that cell phone call came in. Being in Indy now for close to a decade, it's always nice being able to visit the home-state. A draw-back of these visits, though, is that they're usually short and a whole bunch is packed into just a few days.
This time, it was only the Riley Dog and I making the five-hour trip from the Indy area to the Detroit area. Able to work from home or anywhere, I took care of business as usual
during the work-hours on Thursday and Friday. Then it was time to visit
with family and friends.
So when Saturday afternoon rolled around, it was nice not having anything specific to do. My parents went out for a bit on errands and I took some time to hang out and rest my mind by catching up on some unwatched TV shows on Netflix.
The Riley Dog lounged on the carpeted floor nearby, dosing slightly but keeping an eye on me just in case playtime magically turned up.
All was quiet, and nothing big was planned.
And then, my Droid vibrated on the couch nearby. My dad was calling. As it was afternoon, I thought it might be a call to see what my dinner and evening plans were.
What I heard instead caught me by surprise.
Basically, they were at the pet store looking at dogs. And my mom found one that she really liked. And they wanted to see if I'd be up for bringing Riley to the store to meet this possible addition to the family.
My dad came back and picked us up, then we made the trip to the nearby store were some local rescue dogs were being shown off for possible adoption. Both had owned at least one dog during their childhoods, but not as adults (and I hadn't ever had a dog until we adopted then-2-year-old Riley back in 2007).
The dog my mom had her eye on: A beagle-pug mix, a cute 2-year old male named Perkins!!
Here is the cached Adopt A Pet page that I found via Google.
Should that link at some point stop working, here's the little description they gave of him:
"Perkins is a very cute and sweet little guy! He is a beagle most likely mixed with pug (a 'puggle'). He definitely has hound in him. He is happy, smart and a sweet tempered fun boy. He walks well on leash and knows how to sit and is treat motivated. He seems a bit more laid back. He gets along great with other dogs and loves to play with them! He is friendly, mellow but still active. We have more to learn about him but it seems like he has been with a family before. Please consider this family friendly boy for your next family member."
Apparently, the foster dad (a local vet) had named Perkins in the week he'd had the dog, after finding him wandering as a stray, so the name wasn't exactly one that the little doggy responded to. But that's what we all went with initially.
At first, we took Riley inside to meet up with my mom who had Tucker on a leash. They took once sniff of each other and had to demonstrate their dominance, bearing teeth and barking loudly and lunging at each other inside the store.
Yes, what a great first impression you make, Riley!
Of course, with all the other adoptable dogs barking and nearby cats watching suspiciously, we decided to take their intro outside so they could have a little more space to investigate each other.
Riley and "Perkins" took a little time sniffing each other outside and catching some smells of people coming into and out of the store, though they were both on leashes and couldn't fully explore each other at their own leisure. But, they calmed down in just the 15 minutes or so and it wasn't long before my parents agreed to take the next step and do a "10-day trial run" and bring Perkins home for that time.
We were set to return to Indy about mid-day Sunday, and so with my going out that evening and then having breakfast with friends the next morning, that meant they'd have almost a full day where they'd be watching both my Riley and Perkins together at their house.
That was cool with them.
I returned to their house with Riley, and my dad mentioned although he liked the dog and was cool with the 10-days, he wasn't 100% sold on the name Perkins. So after he left, I phoned Suzi and told her about these doggy developments.
We both thought Perkins sounded like the name of a butler, but agreed we did kinda like it. She then mentioend another name, Tucker. This was in part because my mom had owned a dog when she was a kid named Timmy Tucker, and also because that's her maiden name.
So when my wife suggested that name, I instantly liked it and thought it was perfect!!
I told my parents when they soon returned to the house with the new dog, and quickly his name went from Perkins to Tucker!
Riley and Tucker didn't take much time to get used to each other, although my 7-year old black lab weighing about 60 pounds really wanted to sniff and play with the 30-pound Tucker. So the little guy had to show some dominance by barking at her when things got a little iffy.
They had some joint fun together, like watching my dad put Tucker's new cage ("bed") together.
And barking in unison (Tucker's trailing off into a little beagle howl!) when they saw three other dogs out the front window!
Still, they learned to appreciate their boundaries and space in the short-time they were together before we headed home!
Of course, they got to play separately and together...
...some treats that required they figure out which bone belonged to which dog and both weren't to be taken...
... and just some good old-fashioned rest and relaxation after some play time in a new place!
There was some running and chasing around the yard, too, but I didn't snap any photos of that! What I did catch via iPad camera was the aftermath, of Tuck zonked out from all the fun.
Oh, and a little diabetes tidbit tossed in, too: As Tucker was exploring my parents' house and checking out the room where I was staying, I noticed that he could actually step inside my suitcase and lay down on my clothes in there. And he has an interest in anything in a baggie, including diabetes supplies! Unlike Riley, Tucker isn't opposed to trying to play with insulin pump tubing that's attached to you!!!
All in all, Tucker seemed to love the new place and he and Riley had a great first meeting together. I've been told that Tucker misses Riley, and pictures are sent my way every few days. Looks like Tucker is settling into the Hoskins' home just fine!
Of course, you're probably wondering what's with the title of this blog post... right?
Well, here goes.
My dad's an attorney and I spent six years working as a legal newspaper reporter, so all the talk about dog names and the ones mentioned made us think of a law firm name.
Of course, it seems one of the named partners has been dropped, so we now have Riley Tucker & Hoskins, Puppies At Law! Maybe they decided this at the latest lawyer doggy poker game...
Can't you see it now!?
I can just hear the Puppies At Law pitching their message to prospective clients...
"No bone is too big, no rope these canines won't tug for their clients! And they'll fight those cats in any courtroom! You can bet your kibbles and bits on that!"
And...
"Don't worry. These canines will crack any case... for a treat! And don't even think about putting a leash on these doggy lawyers, because they'll turn the tables and take you for a walk around the block!"
Why, it's a perfect episode for the newest incarnation of Law & Order: Puppies At Law! C'mon, you know it's just a matter of time before this happens...
HA!
OK, OK, I will tone down the doggy legalese and get back on point.
Welcome to the family, Tucker!
Riley sends her love from Indy, and can't wait to sniff your butt and run around the backyard again!
Before I knew it, things would be changing.
This time, it was only the Riley Dog and I making the five-hour trip from the Indy area to the Detroit area. Able to work from home or anywhere, I took care of business as usual
during the work-hours on Thursday and Friday. Then it was time to visit
with family and friends.So when Saturday afternoon rolled around, it was nice not having anything specific to do. My parents went out for a bit on errands and I took some time to hang out and rest my mind by catching up on some unwatched TV shows on Netflix.
The Riley Dog lounged on the carpeted floor nearby, dosing slightly but keeping an eye on me just in case playtime magically turned up.
All was quiet, and nothing big was planned.
And then, my Droid vibrated on the couch nearby. My dad was calling. As it was afternoon, I thought it might be a call to see what my dinner and evening plans were.
What I heard instead caught me by surprise.
Basically, they were at the pet store looking at dogs. And my mom found one that she really liked. And they wanted to see if I'd be up for bringing Riley to the store to meet this possible addition to the family.
My dad came back and picked us up, then we made the trip to the nearby store were some local rescue dogs were being shown off for possible adoption. Both had owned at least one dog during their childhoods, but not as adults (and I hadn't ever had a dog until we adopted then-2-year-old Riley back in 2007).
The dog my mom had her eye on: A beagle-pug mix, a cute 2-year old male named Perkins!!Here is the cached Adopt A Pet page that I found via Google.
Should that link at some point stop working, here's the little description they gave of him:
"Perkins is a very cute and sweet little guy! He is a beagle most likely mixed with pug (a 'puggle'). He definitely has hound in him. He is happy, smart and a sweet tempered fun boy. He walks well on leash and knows how to sit and is treat motivated. He seems a bit more laid back. He gets along great with other dogs and loves to play with them! He is friendly, mellow but still active. We have more to learn about him but it seems like he has been with a family before. Please consider this family friendly boy for your next family member."
Apparently, the foster dad (a local vet) had named Perkins in the week he'd had the dog, after finding him wandering as a stray, so the name wasn't exactly one that the little doggy responded to. But that's what we all went with initially.
At first, we took Riley inside to meet up with my mom who had Tucker on a leash. They took once sniff of each other and had to demonstrate their dominance, bearing teeth and barking loudly and lunging at each other inside the store.
Yes, what a great first impression you make, Riley!
Of course, with all the other adoptable dogs barking and nearby cats watching suspiciously, we decided to take their intro outside so they could have a little more space to investigate each other.
Riley and "Perkins" took a little time sniffing each other outside and catching some smells of people coming into and out of the store, though they were both on leashes and couldn't fully explore each other at their own leisure. But, they calmed down in just the 15 minutes or so and it wasn't long before my parents agreed to take the next step and do a "10-day trial run" and bring Perkins home for that time.
We were set to return to Indy about mid-day Sunday, and so with my going out that evening and then having breakfast with friends the next morning, that meant they'd have almost a full day where they'd be watching both my Riley and Perkins together at their house.
That was cool with them.
I returned to their house with Riley, and my dad mentioned although he liked the dog and was cool with the 10-days, he wasn't 100% sold on the name Perkins. So after he left, I phoned Suzi and told her about these doggy developments.
We both thought Perkins sounded like the name of a butler, but agreed we did kinda like it. She then mentioend another name, Tucker. This was in part because my mom had owned a dog when she was a kid named Timmy Tucker, and also because that's her maiden name.
So when my wife suggested that name, I instantly liked it and thought it was perfect!!
I told my parents when they soon returned to the house with the new dog, and quickly his name went from Perkins to Tucker!
Riley and Tucker didn't take much time to get used to each other, although my 7-year old black lab weighing about 60 pounds really wanted to sniff and play with the 30-pound Tucker. So the little guy had to show some dominance by barking at her when things got a little iffy.
They had some joint fun together, like watching my dad put Tucker's new cage ("bed") together.
And barking in unison (Tucker's trailing off into a little beagle howl!) when they saw three other dogs out the front window!
Still, they learned to appreciate their boundaries and space in the short-time they were together before we headed home!
Of course, they got to play separately and together...
...some treats that required they figure out which bone belonged to which dog and both weren't to be taken...
... and just some good old-fashioned rest and relaxation after some play time in a new place!
There was some running and chasing around the yard, too, but I didn't snap any photos of that! What I did catch via iPad camera was the aftermath, of Tuck zonked out from all the fun.
Oh, and a little diabetes tidbit tossed in, too: As Tucker was exploring my parents' house and checking out the room where I was staying, I noticed that he could actually step inside my suitcase and lay down on my clothes in there. And he has an interest in anything in a baggie, including diabetes supplies! Unlike Riley, Tucker isn't opposed to trying to play with insulin pump tubing that's attached to you!!!
All in all, Tucker seemed to love the new place and he and Riley had a great first meeting together. I've been told that Tucker misses Riley, and pictures are sent my way every few days. Looks like Tucker is settling into the Hoskins' home just fine!
Of course, you're probably wondering what's with the title of this blog post... right?
Well, here goes.
My dad's an attorney and I spent six years working as a legal newspaper reporter, so all the talk about dog names and the ones mentioned made us think of a law firm name.
Riley, Perkins, Tucker & Hoskins: Puppies At Law!
Of course, it seems one of the named partners has been dropped, so we now have Riley Tucker & Hoskins, Puppies At Law! Maybe they decided this at the latest lawyer doggy poker game...
Can't you see it now!?
 |
| Original Source, featuring some unknown dog |
"No bone is too big, no rope these canines won't tug for their clients! And they'll fight those cats in any courtroom! You can bet your kibbles and bits on that!"
And...
"Don't worry. These canines will crack any case... for a treat! And don't even think about putting a leash on these doggy lawyers, because they'll turn the tables and take you for a walk around the block!"
Why, it's a perfect episode for the newest incarnation of Law & Order: Puppies At Law! C'mon, you know it's just a matter of time before this happens...
 |
| Not real. Just me having fun with the show's title screen... :) |
OK, OK, I will tone down the doggy legalese and get back on point.
Welcome to the family, Tucker!
Riley sends her love from Indy, and can't wait to sniff your butt and run around the backyard again!
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–Shaye
shayewalsh1@gmail.com