My Best Friend Conchaboy

Seven years since we welcomed Concha home from a breeder in Alberta. With the right combination of tough love and pampering,  we got ourselves a garburator and half couch potato but by all means, he is a perfect dog.

Concha's photo by Hudson Wren

He earned several nicknames since his "gotcha day", from his first nickname "Conchaboy", then there's: Conchaboo, Conchabels, Belsbels, Smelly Belly, Conchapie, Pie-pie, Bellyboi, Smellyboi, Concha-banana, Whitespot, Conchang,  Fatso and the list goes on. I have composed a few songs about him that I regularly sing to get his attention and sometimes I can sense that he does his best to engage with me in his ways like a silent duet partner.

In seven years of being with us, Concha has gained a modest following on his Instagram account  (@Conchaandme) and has been regularly mentioned in my little spot online. He is a dear family member, my daughter's pillow, and my 🐻's afternoon cuddle buddy, his loud snores are music to my ears, and being in his presence brings me comfort, he slept beside me when I contracted Covid virus.

At seven years old, he is considered a middle-aged dog. Gray fur is showing up on his chin, and he doesn't crave long daily walks. He contentedly snores the day away as I work nearby. Conchaboy has mellowed down a lot, but he still occasionally goes nuts when he senses an upcoming surprise, like a walk with his "girlfriend" or being picked up by Boneheads for a day hike, to keep him active and socialized.

He is our best "boi," and because he is the best boi, We give him our best. We have brought him to most of our family trips and photo shoots. We feed him raw food to ensure that he gets nutritious meals.

As we celebrate his birthday, I wonder if he's aware that he is entitled to a birthday wish. If so, what would he wish?

If I could wish on his behalf... I'd wish for him to live longer...

(っ´ω`c)♡ ∪･ω･∪

My Concha...sweet, sweet Concha!

Disclaimer: Contains canine nudity (Ｕ^ω^)

We just welcomed a new family member; he is a very affectionate, handsome black Labrador Retriever puppy. We decided to call him Concha from the popular sweet bun from Latin America.

My first pro photo shoot by Georgia Corbett

A vision board from the past!

I've been in love with Concha's breed for so long. It blossomed when I stumbled on a Franklin Mint ad featuring a porcelain plate with an illustration of two black Labrador Retriever puppies, one of the puppy seems to be chewing a toy duck, in an old Reader's Digest magazine. The pups' faces on the plate were captivating; those soulful and loving gazes convinced me that this is the breed for me.

Labrador Retriever was my chosen subject in one of my projects during my time in the art school, I put all of my love on rendering it, earning me the highest grade from my art instructor.

Concha's breed gravitates towards bodies of water, very affectionate, and is very food-oriented! --- sounds like me! From then on, the dream of welcoming a black Labrador Retriever in my life started with a promise to my future pooch that I would do the best I could to provide a loving forever home, a dog could have.

That day arrived one week after my husband's birthday; he flew back in Alberta to pick him up from the breeder after setting up an appointment with them a few months prior.

Bye Alberta!

Life with our Concha is not always easy, It requires hands-on training, tons of patience to make sure Concha grows into a healthy, happy, and well-behaved dog. Our schedules and space adjusted to accommodate his needs, from waking up earlier for his first 'potty of the day, puppy-proofing our home, not being upset when he chews on our possessions, being understanding when 'accidents' happen, and welcoming all the adjustments as his needs and quirks continuously change.

We also have several rewarding moments in our lives, such as every time we witness Concha's progress, and whenever we receive (plenty of) compliments on how well-behaved and beautiful he is; our hearts brimming with pride. He is enriching our lives in so many ways by constantly teaching us to appreciate being in the moment and experiencing being loved and cared for by a pet; we teach him tricks, and he loves us back unconditionally.

Concha the Sweetbun

Pamola Bakery's Concha

Its not the first time I have mentioned the sweet buns that stole my heart - Concha and the Japanese equivalent - Melon pan; my favourite Japanese bakery in Vancouver add mochi in their Melon pan, adding a rich sticky filling in its pillowy texture!

My husband introduced me to Concha, a sweet bun crowned beautifully with a crusty mixture of flour, sugar, and shortening, one of the best buns to dip in hot chocolate or coffee that makes me look forward to breakfast. The same feeling our Concha has for us every morning, greeting us happy with his tail wagging and rolling on his back asking for belly rubs - every day my Concha steals my heart.

Melonpan with mochi filled chocolate cream 💓

To record all of our joyful Concha times as much as we could, an Instagram account was set up just for him.

Concha asking for belly rubs ;)