Interview with our resident dog whisperer
Rain, snow, sleet or shine--no, not the postman, but one of our very own dog lovers is out walking through the complex, woods and neighborhoods with Poppi. Those of us living at Pebble Creek know Meredith's unique email handle. Meredith is a born and bred easterner who moved to Durham in the late ‘70s from northern California.
When did you discover your love for animals?
I had a fast friend in elementary school, Mary Margaret, who happily had a black and white male collie - Laddie by name, of course! With my neighbor’s borrowed boxer and Laddie, we‘d go exploring for miles on foot. Then we fell head over heels in love with horses, and we’d ride our bikes to the stables to beg to groom and graze them on a lead. It was heaven. I am still especially fond of horses and dogs, and also am interested in wild animals and other aspects of nature.
How many dogs have you had over the years and do you have a favorite breed?
From my first as a kid, a beagle, I’ve had eight dogs, six of whom while at PC. Am still interested in finding another female for Poppi, hopefully of the Carolina Dog breed like Kline (probably a CD mix) and Rikki were. There is much lore about the origin of CDs, but the question has always remained whether their present-day wild-caught populations are the result of many generations of random breeding from European stock, or whether they are descended from dogs who accompanied prehistoric peoples from Asia to the North American continent.
Do you know or would you be willing to posit how many miles you have walked over the years with your dogs?
I get asked this question from time to time, especially by people counting steps! Did you hear the NPR story about migratory birds? Mind blowing! For example, over its' lifetime, one kind of bird flies the equivalent of the distance to the moon and most of the way back. So not that far! But getting out and back via a circuitous route is the most fun. There are quite a few round routes to go on foot here, and I feel very lucky that this is where I live.
Notice you also have been involved in animal rescue groups. Can you tell us more about that engagement?
Here at PC, I found all of my dogs but one at rescues or shelters. Some rescues are even breed-specific and get to know the dogs before they are made available for adoption.
Does this dog lover have any tips that might be helpful for our canine owners?
If you ask me a question, I’m bound to have an opinion!
Special Thanks to Meredith for being involved in our Q & A! And to Nancy Austin for writing the questions.
