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PrintBarkley, Age: 11 human years
Meet our cover dog, Barkley.
Owners: Sharon and Dave Atcheson
Why did you choose your owner? I was at PetSmart hoping to be adopted again. I was discouraged because I had lived in five different homes, and some of my owners mistreated me. An Animal Aid volunteer, Dave Atcheson, was in charge of me that day. I smiled at him and he understood I was smiling, not showing my teeth. We bonded right there in the store. After I met his wife and their other Lab, Ben, my owners brought me home.
Origin of name? My owners were inspired to name me Barkley because I bark at anyone who walks by my house.
Typical day? I wake up about 6:30 a.m. and eat breakfast, go for a walk, sleep for several hours (but waking up to bark at anything of interest), go outside to patrol the yard and chase squirrels, sleep some more, greet my owners when they come home, beg for food when my owners eat dinner, go for another walk, sleep on the floor while my owners read the paper and watch TV, go outside to check on things and go to bed about 11:30 p.m.
Best friend? Ben, the other yellow Lab who lives at my house.
Signature scent? Squirrel.
Favorite piece of furniture? The sectional in the family room. I walk around it and wipe off my mouth after I have eaten.
Favorite piece of art? The picture of me with a hot dog on my nose because I got to eat the hot dog after the picture was taken.
Favorite spot in the car? Ben and I always ride in the back of the SUV so we can look out the back window.
Favorite beverage? Water.
Favorite toy? Rawhide bones.
Favorite food? Spaghetti noodles.
Guilty pleasure? Eating spaghetti.
Favorite day of the week? Sunday because my owner lies on the floor with Ben and me for a nap.
Most dog-eared book? “Marley and Me.”
Charities of choice? Animal Aid of Tulsa and the American Heart Association.
Favorite thing about Tulsa? The River Parks area. It’s great for walking and smelling new smells. Ben and I saw a coyote last summer.
Favorite spot in the yard? My favorite spot is near the wrought iron gate by the garage. My owner has a privacy fence, but through the gate I see what is going on around my house. I bark at everyone and anything that gets near my yard or house.
Favorite thing about your owner? He takes us for walks, usually five miles a day.
Biggest pet peeve? Not being able to catch the squirrels I chase.
Favorite ritual? When Ben and I get fed in the morning, we have to sit and wait until our owner says “OK” so we can eat. I sit and drool just anticipating how good the food will taste.
Favorite quote? “Do you want to go outside?”
Who would play you in a movie? Marley.
Favorite piece of clothing? My bandana and my name collar, so everyone knows who I am.
Something people don’t know about you? I hate to be left alone. I used to get into trouble in my other homes because I chewed things when I was alone. Luckily, I now have Ben to keep me company when my owners leave.
Favorite holiday? Halloween. Ben and I dress up in costumes to greet the trick-or-treaters. We entertain them by balancing a Milk-Bone on our noses and then throwing them in the air and catching them.
If you could be another animal, what would you be? A squirrel so I could outrun dogs.
Favorite thing about your job? Protecting my house and yard, and greeting my owners when they come home.
Most impressive trick you perform? I guess balancing a hot dog on my nose, since I won this contest.
Favorite trick? Ben and I like the Milk-Bone trick the best. This is our favorite trick because we usually get four or five Milk-Bones while we are doing the trick.
How long do you train to learn a trick? It took me a couple of weeks to learn to balance a Milk-Bone on my nose, flip it up and catch it. I learned to balance the hot dog in about 10 minutes.
