Our cousin Bear is celebrating a major milestone, he turned 17 years old!  That’s 119 in dog years!  We’ve never met Bear in person because he lives far away in The Netherlands, but we keep in touch frequently through email and occasionally Skype.  Recently Bear was nice enough to take a break from all his celebrating to answer our questions about life in Holland.  Oh spoiler alert: Bear really isn’t a Bear.  He’s a dog!

Chuck Billy: Ok, you’re definitely not really a Bear, and you’re not a Golden Retriever either.  What kind of dog are you?

Bear: I am a Lhasa Apso.  It is an old breed from Tibet.  We were used as watchdogs protecting the monasteries in Tibet.  A responsibility I continue by protecting my home.

Chuck Billy: Glad to hear your Tibetan Wolf instincts are still strong, despite the bows I’ve seen in your fur.  What is a typical day like for you?

Bear: Well I sleep late. My parents take me downstairs where I have breakfast.  Siep, the neighbors’ cat, usually is already in the kitchen and has already eaten.  He joins me for his second breakfast and always leaves a little bit for me.  Then I do my walkies.  Upon return I have a little nap in my basket.  When Siep gets up and walks to our dining area, then I know it is time for lunch.  Then an afternoon nap with some walkies.  Later it is time for dinner again Siep lets me know or I see Mom starting to cook.  Siep and I enjoy dinner together.  Then napping, watching TV, and walkies.  Later my Dad takes me upstairs and we go to bed — more sleeping.  I do sprawl out on the bed which means my parents sometimes have to be careful not to fall out of bed.

Chuck Billy: Wow, you certainly have trained your parents to cater to your every need!  That sounds like an ideal way to spend the day napping and eating.  But seriously bro, you eat the cat’s leftovers?  I’ll just ignore all those references to hanging out with a cat all day.  Congratulations on turning 17!  How did you celebrate your birthday?

Bear: I had a lovely party with my friends at the veterinary office, Dierenkliniek Parkweg, in Voorburg.  My Dad brought them a cake from the royal baker.  They make cakes for the King, so I felt very royal!  It was a wonderful party, despite the fact my vet gave me a silly hat, which I accepted because I knew it would make them happy.  Not to brag, but I’m probably their oldest patient!

Chuck Billy: Ah yes, really not sure why Humans think those pointy hats are so fashionable.  That cake looks delicious!  Did you get treats too?  Rumor has it you don’t like peanut butter.  What could be better than peanut butter?!

Bear: Well I prefer smoked salmon and raw herring.  I like to personally go to the fish market to select it myself.

Chuck Billy: Not judging, but I wonder if your preference for raw herring instead of peanut butter is because you hang out with a cat?  Anyways, how is dog life in The Netherlands different than in the US?

Bear: Well I am not sure as I never have lived in US.  Here we walk mostly on the leash.  There are certain areas where we can walk off the lead.  I do like to go to restaurants and shopping with my parents.  However butcher and super market are off limits, so I need to wait outside.  Also for some reason at the drug store!  I can go on the bus, train, car etc.

Chuck Billy: Is it true dogs can eat INSIDE restaurants and not just outside on the sidewalk like we do here?

Bear: Yes definitely!  Oh maybe I should tell you about my big brother, Maximilian the Emperor or “Max” for his family.  He had fun when going to a restaurant.  Max would lay under the table and when the maitre d’ came he would nip his toes.  They would of course apologize for standing on the dog — which was not the case but Max liked that.  One time it was a rather large woman with sandals on.  She jumped all over the space apologizing for stepping on Max.  I think Max must have particularly enjoyed that.  As for me, I do prefer the 3 star restaurants.

Chuck Billy: Max’s trick is hilarious!  He must have had a really good sense of humor.  What is your best trick?  Then again, I already know what your best trick is!  Did you really eat the salmon off those crackers your Dad set out for guests without moving a single cracker?  Or is that just an urban legend?  Oh oh oh!  And then there was that time your Mom left the turkey out to cool and you helped yourself to a leg!

Bear: I must admit I did both of these things.  It is really nothing.  I do like to sit on the table and gnaw on a turkey leg.  I don’t know why my Mom was so upset.  Although it was amusing when my Dad thought he forgot to put the salmon out on the crackers.  We still laugh about that!

Bear:  Well I guess I just like being at home in my bed and hanging around with Siep.  For years he would not have anything to do with me and would even tease me sitting on the garden wall by flicking his tail.  But now we are friends or at least I think so — he gets to sleep in the chair by the kitchen table.  I do like it when I can slip into the library and lay on the rug near the fire — if I do it subtlety my parents sometimes do not notice.  Of course I like laying on the bed.  I am not a great traveler.  I did travel to stay with a friend in a village near here — they had a huge garden which I loved.  I have gone on long car trips — when we got there there were mountains and often white stuff on the ground and the water was hard — people went down hills on funny pieces of plastic or whatever.  I did like white stuff which is called snow.  I think they call these places Austria and Germany.  The ground is not flat like where I live.

Chuck Billy:  I love snow!  Maybe Asa and I should go to Austria too!  I wonder how long of a car drive that is from Maine?

Bear: Don’t be silly.  That is one car trip you can’t do.  You’ll need a plane.

Chuck Billy: Speaking of silly, with your 17 years of wisdom what advice can you give my young and naive brother who recently turned 2?

Bear:  Enjoy every day, try to be friends with all others and share your food with them as then they might share with you.

Chuck Billy:  Ok fine, I guess hanging out with a cat really isn’t that bad.  He does share his food with you, and alerts you when it is time to eat.  Is Siep really your best friend?

Bear:  I guess it is true,  Siep is probably my best friend.  I have tried to be friends with him for years but for a long time he had no time for me.  Siep is nice in that he always reminds me when it is time to eat and he always leaves a little of his food for me.  He even allows me to go to his house and eat out of his bowl.   Sometimes he does act a little superior – I guess that is because he is a cat and can jump up on walls even though he is a year older than me.

Chuck Billy: Every cat I’ve met has had delusions of grandeur, so I wouldn’t pay much attention to Siep’s “superiority.”  And I guess to his credit he does share his leftovers with you.  We always had to steal cousin Misty’s food when we visited her.  Speaking of food, it must be getting close to your lunchtime.  So I will end this interview here, and let you get back to your month long celebration of your 17th birthday!!!!

Happy Birthday Bear!  May the year ahead be filled with walks, naps and smoked salmon!

Bear’s 17th Birthday Party! Photo courtesy of Bear’s friends at Dierenkliniek Parkweg.

Bear and his best friend Siep waiting for second breakfast.