Diary of a Dog: Max

First off, no, I’m not any kind of doodle—although that’s what I’m constantly getting asked. My name is Max and I’m a Portuguese Water Dog. Although most “porties” are black and white, I have a distinctive chocolate and white “whirly” coat with lots of wavy curls on my belly. I was born in Seattle in 2007 and happily came to live in San Carlos with Lisa, Bart, Sarah and Zachary. I may be 13 years old now, but I still have the heart (and mischievous nature!) of a puppy. One of my favorite tricks is pretending to be asleep when my family is eating dinner. If they step away for even a second, I pounce on any unguarded plate. I especially love eating vegetables: cauliflower, carrots, cabbage, you name it. I also crave this soft, papery substance that comes in a roll in the bathroom. Lisa and Bart try to hide it from me, but I keep finding ways to outsmart them—and gobble it down like I’m at a salad bar buffet. I’m not always making trouble; I also love to help out. For example, I’m a pro at “stripping” the bed. I butt every pillow off with my head and then nudge the sheets and comforter off too. All that hard work makes me tired, so I doze off on the bare mattress afterwards. I seem to be sleeping a lot more these days. I still get the “zoomies” at night and race circles around the living room but maybe not as many as I used to do. My favorite place is Carmel Beach where I follow Lisa into the water and frolic in the surf. Last time we were there, I noticed it was getting harder to walk down the stairs. It’s on my bucket list to get back, but I’ve found my own way to visit. Whenever Lisa and Bart see me twitch in my sleep, I’m running through the sand in my dreams.