And Then There Were Two (Poodles)

Hi, it’s me, Poodle Mama courtesy of Bernedoodle Boutique. If you follow Bernedoodle Boutique, you may have read Our Tale of One Poodle, the miraculous story of how my family was able to become the guardian home to the one and only, beautiful and loving, standard poodle, Miss Joy (she is lying on my feet as I write this 🤎.) And if you have read our story about Joy, then you know that Joy is no longer an only poodle…😃.

It is with abounding awe, and overflowing gratitude, that I introduce you to our standard poodle (who happens to be Joy’s sister!!), Cocoa Chanel (“Chanel”). When I first learned of Chanel, I’ll admit, I had a real pump the brakes moment, thinking about our already (very) lively household, and questioning whether I should just be grateful for the miracle of Joy in our family. Still, I had caught the poodle mama bug, so to speak, and I decided to go meet Chanel. A little visit couldn’t hurt, right?.... Four days after meeting Chanel, Becky and I had a phone conversation in which I barraged her with every single barrier to my having another dog. The specific details of that conversation are hazy to me, but knowing myself, I’m sure that I shared TMI, and knowing Becky, I’m sure that she was totally unfazed and entirely supportive. The conversation ended with me saying, “Okay, so should I come get Chanel, or do you want to drop her off here?”.

Chanel is such a special dog! Before she joined our family, Chanel earned her Canine Good Citizen. She is calm, present, and secure. She is the best buddy for tough days, and so much fun the rest of the time. Taking her out in public is so easy, as she is the perfect mix of confident and unassuming. And she is super athletic, always the first doggy to fetch and return the ball. One of her favorite outdoor activities is to chase water sprayed from the hose, and she has gotten Joy hooked on this pastime as well. 

I could go on and on about Chanel’s amazing qualities. But the foremost reason that Chanel has such a special place in my heart, is because she is absolutely incredible with my daughter. My daughter has autism, is considered non-verbal, and is medically complex. In Joy’s story, I shared that one of the reasons Joy is a good fit for our family, is because her cautious nature makes her safe and naturally avoidant of my daughter during behavior challenges. Chanel, it turns out, is the dog I didn’t know existed; a dog who is perfect FOR my daughter. During rocky moments, Chanel brings a calming presence to my daughter. When my girl is sick, Chanel seeks her out, resting her head on my daughter’s lap. Every night after my daughter crawls into bed, Chanel hops up and gives her grounding bedtime snuggles. Often my daughter seeks the sensory input of rubbing hair, and Chanel is more than happy about this arrangement. Chanel’s presence and interaction with my daughter, makes me think of Nana, the nursemaid from Peter Pan. My son and I tell my daughter that Chanel is her dog, and this seems to fill her with pride. The relationship between my daughter and Chanel is so lovely that it has brought me to tears.

It would be impossible for me to look back on the choice I made to add our remarkable Chanel to our family, as anything but the best of decisions. My heart is so full.

Doubly Grateful,

Poodle Mama courtesy of Bernedoodle Boutique

P.S. (again)

Our poodle pack is made up of Joy, Chanel, and… you’ll have to wait and see 😀.