| Meet Kula |
Jane and her husband, Kevin, picked out their dog's name before they even had a dog. When they were honeymooning in Hawaii, they saw a produce truck bearing the legend Wai' Kula which means "golden." "We thought that would be a cool name for a Golden Retriever," Jane says, "and we shortened it to Kula."
All in the Family
Kevin had grown up with a Cairn Terrier and a Basset Hound. Jane's family had golden retrievers. There was Bridey and Guinness, and among Jane's extended family, several other goldens from the same breeder. "One in particular," remembers Jane, "could have endeared anyone to his breed." That was a huge, light colored male, Dufus, Kula's uncle.
Is That on the Pizza Menu?
Kula came into Jane and Kevin's life when they were in their new home for just a few weeks. "We had planned to get a dog," says Jane, "but never discussed actually when to get it." It happened on a Friday evening when the couple was having Kevin's family over for pizza. Unbeknownst to Jane, Kevin had contacted Jane's family's breeder. He took the day off, drove three and a half hours, picked out the puppy — Kula — and brought the dog to a friend's house near home.
"There inside was our
eight-week-old golden fuzz ball."
"With the family over and people gathering," Jane says, "Kevin mentioned he was going to run over to our local pizza place to pick up the pizzas and would be right back. What he actually did was run over to our friend's house." When Kevin returned, "little Kula was placed in a gift bag with his head peeking out the top." Kevin, Jane recounts, "said 'look what they were handing out at Mama Maria's pizza place!' There inside was our eight week old golden fuzz ball."
From Only Child to Eldest of Five
Since they brought him home, Jane and Kevin have added several "human siblings" to Kula's family. "Kula has the immense pleasure of being the oldest of five children," says Jane, "one dog, four kids. Kula is the only canine." Jane and Kevin have watched Kula easily adapt to each new baby. "He truly looks out for each of them," says Jane. While the level of activity in the household has changed considerably, their four-legged family member has adjusted very well.
Rubbed, Hugged, and Sat On
Kula begins his day by sleeping late. "His favorite sleeping spot is in the hallway outside all of our bedroom doors," Jane says. "So after an hour of being stepped over, rubbed, hugged or sat on, he will decide to get up." After that, Kula has a "jammed schedule" which includes "going outside, eating, coming back in, cleaning under the kitchen table, scratching, sleeping, being sat on, more sleeping, more scavenging."
"We have had some neighbors
specifically introduce Kula to their
young children who are timid of
dogs because they know he will settle
their fears and win them over."
A Mellow Fellow
"He spends his days playing with each of the kids and the various friends and neighbors that come by on a regular basis," continues Jane. "This loyal pooch takes orders day in and day out from his human siblings, whether it's being dressed up in Star Wars gear, being walked on a leash by the neighbors, or helped up the steps to the kids' playhouse in the yard.
Kula Makes a Splash
When Kula isn't busy being a playmate to his "siblings" and neighbors, his favorite activity is going to Lake Michigan on summer weekends. "He loves everything about it," says Jane. "Swimming, jumping over the waves, rolling in the sand, fetching balls and sticks, digging, following the kids around, sleeping in the sun," and his favorite activity, "guaranteed to make a great day - finding a dead fish to roll upon and reveling in the smell."
"Kula is not a huge fan of playing fetch in the backyard," reports Jane, "but he will swim to fetch a tennis ball in Lake Michigan all day long! He is also like a life guard in the water as he constantly swims to the kids in the lake to check on them and make sure they are doing well."
Kula and BLUE
Jane and Kevin were initially hesitant about transitioning Kula, who is allergic to chicken, to BLUE at the age of nine. "But we had heard such great things about Blue Buffalo dog food," says Jane. They were also so "impressed by the company's overall commitment to pet health that we wanted to support the efforts." They switched him to the Fish & Sweet Potato recipe and "were amazed how well he took to it and transitioned to it. We saw an improvement to his coat, he scratched less and his overall energy level seemed to improve. We love that we have found a product that he likes and that we know is so good for him."
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