Dear Dog Diary:
What proud mom doesn’t get excited about her kids in the newspaper? Here are mine – they won an award in a pet photo contest recently.
This photo is everyday life as SUP pups for Elvis, Dude and Doodle, stand up paddle boarding dogs on the Columbia River in Oregon.
We’re here in Hood River - or as we like to call it, Dog River - its first name. Every rescued dog has a first name, too.
Hood River News has an annual pet photo contest and awards Best Dog, Most Comical, Best Kid & Pet and other glamorous titles.
It’s official - we’re not Best Dogs. But don’t tell my kids, cuz I think they are the best. And we are always thrilled to see others win. Woo hoo!
Nothing in the world could mean more to me than our award:
Photo (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org Published by Hood River News
Thank you, Hood River. We love you too.
And we love you, Dog Beach, where we first surfed. Home beach where my home boys learned to hang 20 toes.
We love ALL of you dogs and dog people out there - wherever you are.
We are one big, lovable dog family. One global pack, millions of little toes on the nose of a surfboard - together on the ride of life.
Surfing through life. Our journey first began 4 generations ago (in dog years)
Memories! Here are early pix of my kids – all rescue dogs -my family for nearly 3 decades. They pulled me across the miles, to adopt them from rescue organizations in three states.
Howdy Doody
Adopted 1992 from San Diego Humane Society, CA
1st Ayers family surf dog - Dog Beach (Ocean Beach, CA)
River surfing on the Colorado River, one of Howdy's many sports. Howdy rode waves at Dog Beach and windsurfed Mission Bay in San Diego and was star of national TV shows. Howdy was my co-chair of Ocean Beach Town Council's Dog Beach Committee - together with the community, we fixed up our favorite beach. Photo (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org
Elvis (Howdy’s step son)
Adopted 2004 from Arizona Basset Hound Rescue
2nd generation Ayers family surf dog – Dog Beach and Dog River, OR
Elvis, son of Howdy - on the first day I adopted him - camping at the Colorado River. On lawn chairs, he was a natural. On a surfboard- not so much. But he learned from the best - Howdy was king of Dog Beach. Photo (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org
Dude (named after grandpa Howdy Doody)
Adopted 2006 from Best Friends rescue – Petco parking lot, Long Beach, CA
3rd generation Ayers family surf dog - Dog Beach and Dog River
Dude in our first hour together - on the road home from adoption. His first name was Yardley. He came with eye problems. Photo (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org
Doodle (named after great grandpa Howdy Doody)
Adopted 2012 from Yamhill County Animal Shelter, OR
Next gen / 4th Ayers family surf dog - Dog River and Dog Beach
Doodle on the day we adopted him at the shelter. The idea was to downsize to a doxie for easy carry on bag travel. Photo (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org
Standing in the paw prints of those that came before
Pet photo contest special section published by Hood River News
Hood River News ran photos recently, to honor our beloved animals loved and lost. Look at all of us mourning together – isn’t it nice to know we are not alone?
This is for anyone that has ever lost a best friend.
We miss Elvis with all our hearts. He was the strong, silent type. Low to the ground - he grounded us, every day. He was Velcro on a surf board - solid, stoic. Rudder of the family – on and off the water. We just lost him in May.
Pets forever change us.
We rescue them, but they rescue us even more. We are family. Together, we share the ups and downs – the waves of life.
Surf dog mom Barb Ayers
In honor of Elvis 2003–2016 and Howdy Doody 1991–2005, founding editors of Surf Dog Diaries - DogDiary.org