Frisbees speak to me - sort of like when a favorite song gets stuck in your head. Used to be I could go after Frisbees all day, running full tilt, chasing them down, one after the next. I'd get within range and launch up, grab, land on all fours, spin around and book back. But Mare says I need to go easier on my body. So we've shifted the game from running them down in parks to swimming after them in rivers. Still love it, though. Show me a Frisbee - I'll prove it.
I'm trained to herd sheep. I knew how to do it before I learned to walk. That's just something I can't explain.
I was a patrol dog with Mare when she was a backcountry ranger working on the Deschutes National Forest. Wide open spaces and lots of strong smells. Life was good.
Sometimes, in the summer, we'll load up the car with our gear and head out for the woods. We'll pitch the tent out there and sleep like a pack. Then in the early hours, I'll slip outside when everyone's still asleep and find small sticks to flip into the air, just to watch them go. It's an amazing thing. My backcountry name is Dancin' Deer, that's why mom called her business Dancin’ Woofs after me and my stick games.
Like most dogs, I dream when I sleep. What do I dream about? That's private.
I was a poster dog for a community campaign that Mare created to clean up the dog waste in our Bend parks. Maybe you've seen it? I even had a starring role in a promotional TV spot. Yes, that was me with the toilet paper trailing from my back paw.
Doug asks the same question everyday: "Who's the best dog in the world?" he'll ask. "Coda!" he says. "Coda's the best dog in the world!" Everyone should have a Doug.
I'm into agility. I even ribboned at the Oregon state competition not long ago. There's really nothing like cutting through those weave poles with your ears flapping to beat the band.
I have a tendency to nudge people's arms when they stop petting me. Sorry, in advance, for the cold nose.
At home, I roam our property with my head to the ground, always looking, always smelling. I guess I'm just extremely curious. But, you know, there's a lot to see and smell out there.
