Ventura’s Pups Remind Us of What Matters

 

by Visit Ventura

Header image by Steve Cattanach

Everyone loves their dog(s) for their own reasons. But it’s probably safe to say that dogs remind us of the things that really matter most. Unconditional love. Play. Laughter. The importance of the moment. The need to eat NOW. Ball, ball, ball, ball, ball…. Yes, these are hard times. And sometimes it might seem like there is no end in sight. But there is an end to some things (pandemics), while there is no end to others. Because, as these Venturans know, every day their best friends celebrate the true constants in this life. Read on, and when you’re done, feel free to share a photo of you and your pup…

Mary Osborne

My dog Brick has basically become my shadow since the first day I brought him home. In these tough times, I am loving on my pet even more than normal because I am experiencing a lot of uncertainty and solidarity in my house. Having a dog like Brick brings me enormous amounts of comfort and unconditional love. Brick keeps me entertained daily with his love for chasing the morning squirrels on the power line that torment him. He makes me laugh constantly when he runs around the house trying to catch a fly on the wall. And every night around 3 am he creeps into my bed, knowing he isn’t supposed to and nestles his body next to mine under the covers. I vowed I would never do this, but I talk to him like he is my best friend as if he is going to respond. I think only a dog lover knows these funny human interactions. Since Brick is a giant Vizsla with never-ending energy, he needs constant walks and exercise. This means I have no excuse to be lazy and I must move my body or he won’t stop barking at me. Right now I love taking him for daily walks in my neighborhood and staring at all the beautiful classic craftsman houses. Most people are home or in their yards, which allows Brick and me to be social from 6 feet apart while still feeling the community love and universal support. Brick’s other favorite spot to run wild is Solimar Beach. He grew up at Solimar, using his good looks and begging skills to get snacks from the daily beachgoers. Lately, I can tell he is slightly disappointed after we walk because there aren’t any snacks to beg for or colorful beach towels to mark his scent on. After each walk, I explain to him not to worry because summer is around the corner and before we know it this challenge we are all facing will be over. He tilts his head to the side as if he completely understands me. About a month ago, I figured it was time Brick got a family member. We adopted Patch the week before the Coronavirus hit the United States. Patch has been the highlight of the house with his spunky energy, fun personality, and his love for not understanding how to use grass for a toilet (he loves the carpet). I bought a bike with a basket and now I am able to take both Patch and Brick out for daily adventures. Can you believe I was never a dog person growing up??? Stay healthy and safe!

Kim Murphy

So the boys love to simply walk around our neighborhood — it has all the smells they are used to! They have been chasing bubbles in the backyard from their automatic bubble machine to stay exercised!

Stephanie Hogue

Cali keeps me sane during these uncertain times by reminding me to play and relax. She loves rolling in fresh grass and running on the beach. Both of these activities get me outside to enjoy the fresh air and also just watching her brings me joy! Dogs live in the moment…she keeps me grounded and appreciative of the little things. We love to find an empty beach off the beaten path and run together. Lately, we are spending a lot of time rolling in the grass at the nearby school in our neighborhood on our walks. She does all the naps at home too!

Marlyss Auster

If you know me, chances are you have heard of my Snickers. Snickers is a rescue from Hurricane Katrina we got him as a pup when I saw his sweet face and named after my favorite candy bar, it was meant to be! He was super timid and wouldn’t have his back turned to anyone, you would always see him curled up in a corner. It took him a while to come out of his shell when we moved back to Ventura he found his happy place to build up his confidence. He is with me out and about at sunrise daily, it is our thing! He will be 15 in July, our walks are slower, he uses a ramp at home and we are up with him many times during the night … kinda like when he was a pup. Perhaps a silver lining through all of this is getting to love on him more and more every day! Snickers is getting loved on 24/7 from all of us and reassuring us that he loves us just as much as we love him. So tomorrow we stroll a new neighborhood street at sunrise with new smells and we will go as slow as he needs.

Brandy Herrin

It’s hard for me to find the words for how much I love my dog Kona. He keeps me happy, grateful and sane every day. We are quarantined together which for us isn’t that different from life just before the quarantine. He is with me every day, all day because I’m lucky enough to have him with me at work. At night his little bed is next to my bed and I can’t fall asleep until I know he is asleep. We have a routine and this virus has not changed that, our routine is about the only thing that hasn’t changed in my life. I’ve always liked to watch him sleep, he’s 15 so he sleeps a lot now…this pandemic and the isolation has scared and stressed me, sometimes I can’t sleep and when I have really bad nights worrying, I sit by his bed and just watch him and I relax. We have a few favorite places to walk, besides our neighborhood, he likes the bike path at Surfer’s Point especially the little boardwalk that juts out from the path. When we get to the middle he often sits down, like he wants to stop and look at the ocean. At 15 he doesn’t go far or fast but he likes everything about the beach especially when kids come over to pet him because they think he is a puppy. Now that the beach is closed we do longer walks around the block and unfortunately, nobody can pet him anymore.