Maggie: my dog and my first blog//

I joined the Factor 3 family just over 3 years ago, and since then I have managed to dodge, with ninja like prowess, our Digital Marketing Manager’s persistent pleas for blog content. But the guilt is slowly creeping in and I can’t keep avoiding her… well not without Alice starting to get a complex anyway. So, I find myself sitting down to compose my first ever blog article. That’s right, I am a virgin blogger! But it’s time to pop my cherry, as it were, and the thought fills me with dread and fear. I am a reluctant millennial who shamefully cares what opinions may be formed about me in the minds of strangers reading this! But here goes…

When thinking what to write about, the list is long. I could choose a design related topic, I am an Art Director after all. I could write about life in an integrated design and marketing agency, I have 7 years of agency experience. Both these options are plausible (and probably what Alice is after from me) but where would I start? There are so many design related blogs out there, I don’t want to just be repeating content that’s been blogged to death previously. Also, will people judge me on my experiences/opinions/methods? Warning lights flash on and off in my head and I’m beginning to shift uncomfortably in my chair. Back to the drawing board… What am I comfortable talking about? What do I talk about all the time?

Well ladies and gents, I am a dog owner. And as I’m sure we all know, there’s nothing a dog owner likes to talk about more than their pup! I should mention here that this does not apply to all dog owners, some are kings and queens of conversation and manage to avoid references to their dogs whilst conversing with other humans. I am not this socially skilled.

My partner and I got our puppy earlier this year. She is a German Shepherd/Lab/Collie cross called Maggie, and she is an absolute beaut. She is also an utter menace at times! The brains of a collie, the tenacity of a GS and the friendliness of a Labrador! She’s a handful, but lots of fun, and is more likely to lick an intruder to death than attempt to defend her home. No joke, we have to make sure she’s on her lead when we’re out and about if there’s kids that we don’t know around… not because she is a dangerous beast, but because she will want to kiss and hug them and I have discovered not all small children enjoy their faces being washed by a stranger’s dog on first meeting them.

The funniest thing I have noticed since owning a dog is the moments of utter pride we feel when she does something new. She really and truly is our ‘fur baby’. Steve (my partner) when talking about ‘what Maggie had done that day’ – a conversation we have often – actually started to list personality traits Maggie has which she’d clearly received from us. I had to remind him that, although it feels like it, she isn’t in fact biologically part of us. She doesn’t have our DNA.

There are plenty of times that I do not feel pride in Maggie’s behaviour however. For example, the time when I tried to call her back and instead of coming to me, she ran full pelt towards a couple, who were having a romantic picnic, and decided she needed to investigate their sandwiches and kiss them both hello. She had also just been paddling in a muddy stream and the lady had a white dress on. Embarrassing doesn’t even begin to describe it.

Then there was the time she stole a little boy’s football in the park and wouldn’t give it back… there is no way to maintain one’s dignity when chasing a pup, around a park, who has no intention of stopping or giving you back the football she has locked in her tiny jaws, whilst trying to reassure a small child that “she won’t pop it… don’t worry!”

Maggie also has a keen interest in gardening. You may have already seen her handiwork on Factor 3’s social channels. Clearly, she has a problem with our choice of plants… and pots for that matter.

But all these moments are shortly forgotten because it’s hard to stay mad at that furry face. And, as I said there are the proud parent moments too. Recently Maggie learnt to swim. My phone is full of around 50 videos to prove it! Steve and I praise her like goons on the lake bank as she doggie paddles her way around. Our little water baby! And I’m sure the proud (and not so proud) moments will continue as she grows and learns new things! So, sorry everyone, but expect my chat to be dog filled for a long time to come!