A massage for Daisy Duke? She deserves it - Johnson City Press (subscription)

[massage]

Anybody who says Daisy Duke is spoiled is absolutely correct.

Our bloodhound enjoys receiving massages, and as it turns out, we enjoy giving them to her.

And we’re not talking about just a good, old-fashioned petting the way most dogs like. Daisy Duke takes great pleasure in being on the receiving end of a powerful massage gun.

Daisy Duke casts a skeptical glance at the massage gun — and the masseuse.


It seems to be one of the few ways we can get this canine perpetual motion machine to sit still.

What makes this surprising is the fact that she’s afraid of any noise. A lawnmower while she’s outside will send her into a howling and barking fit. The vacuum cleaner turns her into a snarling devil and she’s even skeptical of the dishwasher and washing machine.

Yet turn on that massage gun — it isn’t quiet — and she knows what’s coming. She’ll try to nip at it a couple of times but after that she remembers how it feels. She lays back and enjoys the massage, stretching her legs out as far as they will go so we won’t miss a spot. She’s not afraid to paw at us when we’re done and she isn’t.

One day, I thought it would be amusing to show one of my sportswriting colleagues, Jeff Birchfield, the chaos that ensues at our house when feeding time rolls around.

I had filled five dog bowls with food, in various amounts and I had them all in my hands when I called Daisy Duke to come in to eat.

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She came running up the stairs of the back deck like she always does, sprinted through the door like the Pony Express and saw Jeff. In her excitement she jumped into the air. She knocked into me, sending the bowls tumbling end-over-end into the air. About a thousand kibbles landed on on the hardwood floor in our dining room and they were bouncing around, causing a house full of dogs to go into panic mode.

Daisy Duke sprung into action, trying to inhale them all before I could corral her into her“eating room.” Meanwhile, the four other dogs, who were being restrained by a gate, were dancing around wanting to get in on the action.

The dogs made about as much noise as you would expect when they’re being teased with a room full of kibbles. It was complete pandemonium, Avento style.

This is the life we have chosen.

In a minute or two, order was restored and the bowls were re-filled. The dogs got their supper and Jeff and I got a good laugh. He continued to laugh as I swept up the damage.

From the looks of it, March might be Daisy Duke’s favorite month. It began with a couple of snow days, giving her a chance to frolic and partake in her version of the Winter Olympics. Of course the snow eventually melted and turned parts of the yard into mud. Bloodhounds and mud are a dangerous combination.

The month ended with temperatures in the mid-70s, and even dogs can get spring fever when the weather turns beautiful. Undoubtedly, there will be more hours spent outside, more running around and, of course, more massages.

Joe Avento is Sports Director for the Johnson City Press. His award-winning column on the exploits of his bloodhound Daisy Duke appears the first Sunday of every month.

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