VMCVM Pet Spotlight: Monty

What’s your name, and do you think it’s as awesome as you are?
I'm Monty and I think my name is pretty cool! Everyone gets excited when they hear it, especially since I am named after "Monty Python and the Holy Grail", whatever that is.

Who is your human and what is their role at the veterinary college?
Annmarie Pudlo (my mom) is a lab technician in the collaborative multidisciplinary research lab (CMRL shared lab). She works with lots of people and tells me all about when she gets home. I always wake her up early so she knows she has to work those days. She is really lucky to have me.

What kind of critter are you, and what makes your breed (or mix) totally pawsome?
I am a purebred borzoi puppy, although my mom and dad say I am part piranha. I am thin when you look straight at me (like slender man or should I say slender dog), but I look like a cow calf when you look at me from the side. My breed is known for looking goofy, so I guess I fit that description.

How many candles are on your birthday cake this year—or are you keeping that a secret?
I just turned 1 in February of 2025! My mom and dad had to explain candles to me this year. They were to scary, but the treats involved were worth it.

Where did you find your human, and what made you pick them?
My humans came to see my parents/siblings/grandparents/cousins/uncles in March 2024. They had never had a borzoi before so they were excited to see all of my 10 siblings. I was the first pup they picked up. I just laid in their arms and knew they were my people. I got to play with them for 2 hours outside too. I kept doing zoomies around them and I even got to sunbathe. It was awesome!

How would you describe yourself: a snugglebug, a wild child, or the boss of the house?
I am a mix between snugglebug and sharknado. I love to do zoomies around the house while bouncing all over the furniture, but I also love to cuddle with my parents. I also like being really nosy because of my big "fear of missing out" phase. I want to be apart of anything and everything!

What’s your signature move to get attention—puppy eyes, zoomies, or something else?
Most of the time if I need attention, I ring my bells by the front door and then walk into a doorway where my parents are and let out a soft whine. Then I sit and stomp one foot. That is normally enough for my parents to ask what I want and then I tell them. I have them trained to know what my cries of whoa mean. Although, if I pretend I can't work my back end, that works too!

Do you have a favorite toy that you’d fight a dragon to keep?
My dad's grandma gifted my parents a teddy bear when she found out they were getting me. It was the first toy I played with when they brought me home. I recently went on a 3 month spree of only 4hrs of sleep because they took my teddy away and tried to replace it with another one. But, I knew it was a fake! I have since been reunited with teddy because my parents finally gave up on trying to separate us.

What’s your go-to snack, and how do you convince your human to hand it over? (Do you have a secret trick?)
I love my cream cheese and beef liver treats! All I have to do is lay on the floor tummy side up and paw at them. My tummy lures them in for tummy rubs and then they automatically give me treats too! It works every time.

What’s the most epic adventure you’ve had with your human?
When I was 10 months old, my parents did a Christmas trip to grandma and grandpas house in Maryland. We did an 8 hour drive together, but I only remember 3 hours of it. My first few hours were filled with a bunch of new sounds from the semi-trucks/cars/traffic. I also kept crying because I wanted the windows down. After about 2 hours, I was so tired that I fell asleep on top of the middle compartment between mom and dad. The next thing I knew I was in Maryland with my grandma, grandpa, and cousin Brodie! On our way home I slept the entire 8 hrs.

What’s something you did that left your human totally speechless—good or bad?
My parents aw at me for almost everything. But recently, I have learned how to sleep on the bed with them. While they are laying there asleep, I hop into the middle of the bed and flop over. Normally I flop right on top of dad, but sometimes I lay on mom so she doesn't feel left out. They always say "Monty! what the heck." but I don't see the problem. I am only 80ish pounds. That's light as a feather!

What’s your best “I’m too cute to handle” pose for the camera?
I am always ready for a photo shoot! My absolute favorites are always when we are outside on adventures.

Describe a day in your fabulous life. Do you work hard or hardly work?
My days are always so hard. I first have to wake dad up at 4:30 a.m. for my first bathroom break. Then I go back to sleep, normally on the bed with mom and dad. I then wake mom up between 6 and 7 a.m. because I just need morning cuddles before she leaves for work. Sometimes she stays home and that's when we go for a run together and I get the most cuddles. On the days she goes to work, I am home with dad all day. He opens the windows and I get to people/dog watch. I really like seeing the cars and planes go by too. He always takes me on two walks before mom gets home and then we either go on a family walk together or go to the dog park. After that, I am always too tired for anything else, so I take a nap. But, I always have zoomies around 11 p.m.. right after my final bathroom break of the night.

Do you have any rituals with your human, like belly rub o’clock or snack time at sundown?
I always get belly rubs when my humans get home! I always do a morning walk with mom at 8am, a 4pm walk with dad, and my favorite walk which we always do together at 9:30 pm. I really like seeing all my neighbors and bird watching, so I have to be outside frequently otherwise I might miss something!

What’s your relationship status with other animals? BFFs, frenemies, or “it’s complicated”?
I am currently an only child, but I love hanging out at the dog park and in the neighborhood. I love meeting everyone. My parents often say I am overly friendly which sounds like a good thing to me!

Do you have any party tricks that wow the crowd?
I am really good at "sit", "lay down", "sit wait", "hide/seek", "turn around", "hug/up", and "give paw". I have also learned how to roll over and come here, but that's still a work in progress.

If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
I wish I could fly! I love to watch birds/planes/clouds, and I want to be able to do that too.

What’s one thing your human should learn from you?
They should learn dog so that way I don't always have to tell them what I want. You would think my different whine pitches would tell them, but they are always clueless.

What’s the best thing about being your human’s sidekick?
My humans love to cook so I always get extra snacks! I always get to try everything they have for diner and it's amazing! My favorite is when they snack on Goldfish crackers. I always get a few pieces!

Anything else you want to bark, meow, chirp, neigh, or squeak to the readers? (This is your moment!)
If you ever see me walking by, feel free to stop my parents and ask to meet me. I love meeting new people!