Hi, I’m Memphis, a 10lb. cream colored Maltipoo – that’s a Maltese and Miniature Poodle mix. I’m a small dog on two wheels who likes to let the good times roll.
When I was just a puppy, my mom, Melissa, took me home and we bonded immediately. I went on to have an average puppyhood; playtime, naptime, dinnertime, and all the dirt digging, trick for treating, and park playing in between. A few years later we met my Dad, Blake, and settled in all together right in between New York City and the Jersey shore. It’s been a wonderful place to grow up, with many other family members and friends.
Mom named me after a trip she had taken to Memphis, Tennessee, where she stopped on her move home from Dallas, Texas. The trip was very meaningful to her because she was leaving friends and memories in Dallas and moving back to her home state of New Jersey to start the next chapter of her life. The trip also increased her likening to the famous song, Walking in Memphis, because it is said to be about spiritual awakening and the start of something new. Mom says that when she returned to New Jersey and met me shortly after-her something new- I brought so much spirit into her life. Ironically, years later it would be my spirit that would help pull me through some tough times…
In December of 2011-when I was only 5 years old-I noticed one night that my body started to feel a little different. It was just the day after Christmas, and it was snowing a blizzard outside, and inside I was not feeling very warm and cozy, either. I wasn’t able to move my back legs, I couldn’t walk, and I didn’t feel well. At the hospital, I learned I had a condition called Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD). IVDD is when the discs in one’s back either bulge or burst and then press on the nerves running through the spine. This can cause pain, nerve damage, and even paralysis.
After surgery, physical therapy, acupuncture, and a whole lot of love, motivation, and determination, I am still living the life of a happy puppy! With my wheelchair in tow, I enjoy many outdoor adventures and travel; including going to the beach and barking at the seagulls, playing in the park with my friends, sticking my head out the car window, and anything that gets my paws dirty! I have been to many U.S. cities, including Boston, New York, and Washington D.C. One of my favorite moments was when Dad took me up to the Rocky Balboa steps in Philadelphia to prove that even a little Maltipoo on wheels like me can have the eye of a tiger!
I hope to inspire you to remember that no matter what life may bring, there can be happiness in hope and adventure in adversity. As I continue to travel and meet new friends, I am also learning new things. Mom and I just graduated from the Karen Pryor Academy through a basic behavioral dog training course where I learned some fun tricks and which of the good boy behaviors get me the best treats! I am a friend and supporter of Rescue Ridge, a local Animal Rescue here at the Jersey shore. Currently, I am training to become a Pet Therapy Dog, and I will also be a featured model in the 2017 Michael Bagley Photography Calendar for ‘Perfectly Imperfect’ Dogs. Stay tuned for more updates!
I hope you join me on my continuing adventures and please check back in on my progress as you, too, progress along. Together, let’s be Lucky Dogs.
