 | Biographical Info |
| Work Information |
| Personal Interests |
| Current Projects |
| Favourite Links |
| Frequent Questions |
| Contact Information | |
I'm a Miniature Fox Terrier (a foxie), but as far as I know, I'm just another 'person', like you. I'm
nearly 6 years old, and I'm deaf and don't know it. I live with Rodney, on this big yacht, (that he's
been building for as long as I can remember), miles from the water.
We are the absolute, best of friends, and we go everywhere together. We also have heaps of fun
together and go out fishing and diving, whenever we can. I always go for a swim with him (usually
only once and then sunbake) and that’s how I came to be a dogpaddler. People always seem to
laugh at me, but that’s the only way I know to swim, just dogpaddling as fast as I can.
They say that I was born deaf, (whatever that is) but I know lots of hand signals, like ‘come over
here’, and ‘stay where I am’, and ‘go and get my rabbit’. I may only be small in size, but I live big,
and love adventures.
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Work Information
Job Titles
I am: ‘the dog’, ‘head bird chaser’, ‘visitor reception committee’, ‘chief of security’ (both car & boat),
‘official food taster’, ‘bait sniffer’, ‘barking boat alarm officer’
Key responsibilities
As you can see from my many job titles, I have a lot to do around the place, and it’s only through
good organizational skills, that I can spend so much time sleeping. It’s very important to always
place yourself close by, ready to leap into action when you are disturbed. Mostly though it’s left up
to me, to look after Rodney and the boat.
My most important job, is to make sure that every morning, my stuffed rabbit is taken out of the
bedroom and up to the cockpit area, on deck. Then, again at night I have to take the stuffed rabbit
back into the bedroom. I’m not exactly sure why this is so important to the efficient running of the
ship, but someone has to do it.
Department
I’m the only dog. That means I have a huge department, and no staff. I seem to spend a lot of time
going up and down my ‘rat ramp’ all day checking out what’s going on in different areas.
If it looks like we might be going out, then I’m the one who has to race around madly to get ready, so
I can be carried down to the car to leave. I’m not allowed to walk up, or down, the long steps to the
ground, ever. Not once, in my whole life have I set foot on the steps. That’s why, when I’m
sometimes left on board alone, which I can’t stand, it never enters my head to try and go down the
steps.
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Personal Interests
 | Chewing and playing with my rabbit | |
| Going on trips - anywhere, I can sniff and explore | |
| Sleeping and saving my strength for dogpaddling | |
| Showing my rabbit to every visitor |
Current Projects
- To keep practising my dog paddling until I get really good.
- To find more places on board to hide food, and bones (that Rodney can't find).
- To finally catch one of those birds, that sits on the railing. out of reach, laughing at me.
- To chew my rabbit to pieces, because no sooner do I tear some part off, and Rodney sews it back
on. (and then I have to chew it off all over again)
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Favourite Links
I don't have any favourite links yet, (apart from Rodney's pages). Maybe you could be one. But
when I do get some good links, I'll put them right here for you. There must be lot's of other dog
paddlers out there.
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Frequent Questions
- What is dog paddling?
- How did I become a dog paddler
- How can you learn to dog paddle?
- Is it legal? Do you need a licence?
- Where can you dog paddle? Do you have to wear special clothing?
- and so on, and so on . . . . . . . . .
(Are you kidding, how should I know any of this stuff. I just jump in, and start paddling for my life.)
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How to contact me
On the yacht where we live, we are connected to the Internet.
Email address
rodneyfield@thedogpaddler.com
Web address
www.thedogpaddler.com
Rodney 2006
Email: rodneyfield@thedogpaddler.com
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THIS PAGE WAS WRITTEN IN 2006 - and a lot has happened to us since then
when you're ready please follow the Menu buttons on the top left
New > Email Newsletters to see our recent stories and photos - or click here
Thank you
Rodney & Penny
October 2010
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