~ Ode to Ares ~
I had always wanted a dog but it wasn't until I was 22 (still living at my parents') that I was finally able to get one. That's when Ares came into my life.
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Ares was my first dog and he was spoilt from day 1. He was a beaglier (beagle x cavalier, with more cavalier than beagle), which meant he was incredibly affectionate but also very cheeky. Ares passed away on Christmas eve 2018, 2 months short of his 10th birthday. I never knew real grief until that day. Losing a dog was so world-shattering as he had been such a constant in my life.
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Ares was an amazing companion. He was gentle and highly attuned to my emotions. He could tell if my tears were 'happy' or 'sad'. He helped me get through breakups and lost friendships and helped me to grow and mature over the years. Ares was truly my best friend.
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He loved a chin scratch, the dog beach, bones (or any food really), and his stuffed tiger girlfriend. His favourite thing was spending time with his family . . . and chicken/ducks. He wasn't a big fan of other dogs, with exception of his little brother, Mars. Although I still recall the look of horror on his face the first night he realised that puppy-Mars was here to stay.
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Rest in peace Ares Burger xx
~ Ode to Loki ~
After Ares passed we had a beaglier-shaped hole in our family. That's when we found Loki - a 2nd generation beaglier - aka Loki-pup / Pupper / Little dude.
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While Loki was taken from us after a mere 18 months, he had already developed such a unique place in our hearts. Even though he was the same breed as Ares, Loki had a completely different personality.
Loki had the funniest mannerisms and doggonality. From his old Italian man face to ‘cuddles!’ where he would rub his face against yours until you scratched his ear (or he licked your face). He loved nothing more than curling up on a lap or a Mars, sitting on Mars’ head, straddling Mars or whatever he could straddle. He was the bright spark in the room, always happy to see us, always up for a cheeky lick, always ready to bust out of a partially open baby-gate.
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He was a humper and a coffee drinker like Ares. Destructive and playful like Mars. And an anxious little ball of affection and social confusion, like me.
He helped us deal with the loss of Ares and I like to believe some of Ares’ life energy was in little Loki-pup / Pupper / Little dude.
Mars, Dog of War
Mars is technically my husband's dog but I love our handsome Mr Mars Man / Marzipan just as much (maybe more) than he does. The only reason we moved in together is because he couldn't have a dog at his old place and then we found this adorable beaglier puppy and fell in love. So we picked up Mars, then swung by his old place to pick up his stuff before we all moved in together.
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Mars is the only beaglier we've had with an obvious beagle look. He is loving, friendly, cuddly, and patient. He is exceptionally well trained when treats are involved, but can be a bit doofy, cheeky, and destructive when no one is looking, And we wouldn't want it any other way.
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Despite his size, Mars thinks he's a lap dog. He enjoys playing with other dogs and is especially fond of beagles and cavaliers. He also loves balls but will inevitably eat them if left to his own devices.
Thor, Dog of Thunder
Introducing Thor, Dog of Thunder - our first cavoodle (cavalier x poodle). We thought Thor was a cockalier (cocker spaniel x cavalier) when we adopted him but it turns out his mum had a sneaky affair with the breeder's poodle.
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Thor was named in honour of the brother he never met, Loki. Thor came into the world in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and arrived at his new home in Melbourne during lockdown 2.0. He made life in isolation a million times better.
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Thor is a big ball of fluff and sass. He has a feisty spirit and is always trying to bait Mars (and us) into playing with him by forcing various toys into his (and our) face. He absolutely loves dogs, people, and small children. He's becoming more of a lap dog in winter and will follow his favourite humans EVERYWHERE.
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We're super excited to see what sort of dog he grows up to become. Follow @dogsofmythology on Instagram to see the pupper become a doggo.