Who’s That Dog in the KEEN Sandals?
By KEEN Fan Ridley the Wonder Pup
I’m Ridley, the pup in the rainbow tie-dye Newport sandals. Last week, I was a simple office dog. But that changed when my picture appeared on the main page of the New York Times.
It all started when Gucci launched a shoe in their spring collection that fans thought looked a lot like KEEN sandals. The humans at the KEEN office in Portland, OR, wanted to play along and snapped a similar photo, telling Gucci “we’re inspired by your inspiration from our inspiration!”
I didn’t go to KEEN that day intending to be a style maven.
I didn’t go to KEEN that day intending to be a style maven. One of the humans got called away, so I stepped in—and it’s been a whirlwind of treats, paw-print autographs, and posing with babies ever since. Everyone is asking about what it's like to be famous and if life has changed. Not really but my Instagram account is starting to blow up. Follow me at @ridleythewonderpup. Sorry for the shameless self-promotion.
People seem to be curious about what it's like to be me, so I thought I would share a little more about what I get barky about and give a peek into the life of one of the Dogs of KEEN (there are a lot of us!):
NAME:
Ridley
NICKNAMES:
Riddles, Sally Ann, Mergatroid, Ball-y Girl
ABOUT ME:
Female black Lab mix, 6 years old. Born in Milwaukee, OR, raised in Portland, OR. Mom was a black Great Dane, Dad was a Lab-Boxer-Pit Bull mix.
LIKES:
Swimming, hikes in the forest, napping (I am getting more into this with old age), ball chasing, fetching. I love and prefer new, yellow Wilson or Penn fresh balls. (I am currently without a ball sponsor.) It's cool that I live near a park in NE Portland and the dog park is right next to four tennis courts. It's basically a gold mine for slightly used tennis balls. We have a bowl by the front door that has about 40 balls in it at all times. I prefer the use of a chuck-it for throwing. I am a fast running machine and prefer sprints in the park twice a day.
(Full disclosure: I am on the fence when it comes to SUPing. My humans are super into it, but honestly it's just a lot of work with little gain for me. Sitting on the water doesn't make sense to me.)
DISLIKES:
Fireworks, gun shots, overly energetic dogs (they just rub me the wrong way…too enthusiastic and annoying), long car rides. I like when we get there, but usually car rides make me nervous, and I feel the need to hang my head out the window for fresh air.
With human dad Jess (left) and feline sister Amos Moses (right)
MY PEEPS:
Amos Moses (feline sister/black cat), Katie, Jess, Skylar, Ruby
MY TYPICAL DAY:
Wake up at 6ish, let myself out the dog door, pee/poop in the yard. Walk in the park. Code name: "walkies." I do this in the morning and afternoon/evening every day. Exercise is important to me.
A dog's life at KEEN
Go to KEEN 1-3 days a week. Roam around, nap in the Marketing dept. Walk the Pearl District. Not my fave. Too many suits and not enough green space.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR ME:
I am planning a trip to Canada for 4th of July. It's my least favorite holiday. The sounds and explosions are just too much for me. Sometimes I will take sedatives but really I find the need to just get out of this country.
You might spot Ridley in other KEEN photos this season, like this shot from the Oregon Coast.
We’ve allowed well-behaved, on-leash dogs since the start of KEEN—and the struggle to skip a belly rub opportunity is real. There are 24 regulars in the office, and they provide levity with meeting nuzzles and mid-afternoon back sprawls (and, yes, the occasional bark or toot). Learn more about working at KEEN—dog-friendliness is just one of the many awesome benefits.