the legend of driggs

and so begins the story of driggs.

only so much you can fit in a single post though.

consider him the extension of nat herself. before the idea of natalia solaya was born.

he was a LEGEND. for keeping both of them alive.

consider this the beginning of a multi-faceted, multi-lingual, and unconditionally loving 95lb german shepherd service dog named driggs. also known as:

"my driggy baby", dwiiiiiiiggs, dwiggys, driggys, bud, bubs, bubbies, bubby bubs, dr. d, derp derp, dweeb, and whatever else fit the vibe at the time.

THE mutha effin king. for 8 years and 1 month in person, and FOREVER in spirit. 

told through the lens of... him.

a star in the valley

born in a 2nd (unplanned) litter on a ranch in star valley wyoming. both parents present, until daddy succumbed to a pack of coyotes on our land the week before my lifelong mama saved me.

when she came, my siblings were all playing together in the pen. me? under the play gym, alone, wondering why daddy hadn't come home yet. mom pulled me out from underneath, gave me the biggest hug in the world, and went for my first roadtrip.

immediately yes. snuggles from the whole pack, other than throwing up once but mom caught it soon enough that there was no mess. nana loved me for that.
A German Shepherd puppy wearing a red collar sits on a green grassy lawn in front of a house with brick and stone walls.

the daily stoic

I knew exactly who I was from the getgo. I had learning and growing to do but oh boy was I going to work hard to impress and protect my mama.

I didn't know her past, but i could sense the loss, uneasyness, and worry for her safety. nothin' my presence, personality and future skillset couldn't fix though.

we lived with nana and papi first, where i had a SOLID backyard and easy access through the back door. 

hell yeah.

the dweebiest dweeb that ever dweebed

A close-up, high-angle shot of a black and tan dog lying on its back on a blue carpet, with a person's hand holding its chin.

teenage dirtbag

job #1: make her laugh while closing the deal on like, 30 houses at once. easy. done. I made everyone smile at the model home. she couldn't hear well so i barked once to let her know a customer arrived. not allowed apparently. wtf.
A German Shepherd dog lying on a light-colored carpet in front of a wooden dresser, looking directly at the camera with its pink tongue slightly visible.

apartment + city life

they said don't do it. we did it anyway. we lived so close to the mountains and parks it never mattered really. if i needed a walk i just gave myself a case of the zoomies and mom got the memo, immediately. she needed it just as bad as i did anyway. win win.
A German Shepherd dog sits attentively indoors while a person holds up a bright yellow-green tennis ball toy in the foreground. The setting is a living room with a brown leather couch, carpet, and framed wall photos visible in the background.

"just give it back mom"

i gave my ball a hair. she drew a face on it and THEN asks for a photo? whatever. make it quick. give it back and déjame en paz.  pero like, next to you tho. espera, dónde vas? vengo contigo.  
A German Shepherd dog wearing a red sweater is inside a black wire crate while a human hand holds a black and blue high-heeled shoe near the dog.

my one mistake

she put me in this ugly christmas sweater, the armpits ripped putting it on, and went to work without me. "heel?" instructions unclear. I picked the least worn. got the memo, never again. f*** this crate.

right hand man

on the same vibe, train, mood, and memo. at all times. music taste? elite. console? mom's love/hate. I just liked it for the ac. and the same view mom had. few minutes at a time is all. give me a break.

friends, girlfriends, family, and the couch

A German Shepherd dog rests on a dark leather couch in a living room, holding a black patterned collar around its neck.

king of the castle

of course I was allowed on the couch. of course I slept in bed with her. how else am I supposed to snuggle? on the floor? yeah that too. i mean look at me. only with her tho. everyone else had to pass my personal vibe check.
Two German Shepherd dogs sitting in the back of a black car with the window down, looking out into the sunny outdoor air.

the ultimate ladies man

kita was a favorite. so was mazzy, lily, and kaya. sage? on crack. sasha? we never hiked together and girls be... she made me nervous. mazzy i couldn't help myself. many cute ones at the park but they always tried to steal my football. b*tches.
An orange tabby cat lies relaxed on a red leather couch while a German Shepherd stands on a gray rug nearby in a living room with a fireplace in the background.

cats...

never understood why theo never liked me. i was so nice to him. even begged for yogurt from papi together. older siblings i guess. he passed from kidney failure at 4 the day after christmas. rest in peace. only grandchild? hardly...
Two dogs, a golden retriever puppy wearing a red harness and an adult German shepherd wearing a red collar, sitting on a beige tile kitchen floor.

the annoying orange

look. i loved him. but he had no concept of personal space. he was learning from me. i corrected him once with no harm, his mom freaked and we were never allowed together again. seriously. he's still learning how to take a chill pill sometimes. not a thought behind scout's eyes. love him anyway.
A German Shepherd dog and a Siamese cat resting together on a bed with white sheets. The dog wears a reddish-brown collar, and the cat wears a turquoise collar.

ohhh mmmmmimi

the whole pack was devastated after theo died. a miracle happened and mom found her almost the same way she found me 2 days later. on a farm in idaho. those people almost kept her for themselves but mom worked a deal in 8 seconds flat.

so me, mom and nana went on a drive in the dead cold of winter and brought her home. just in time for new years. mom made a tiktok of our first few weeks together and went viral.

800k likes and 3 million views overnight. saved in random people's folders all over the world. famous together. forever.

photoshoots galore

by then, mom was a part-time model and full time realtor. workin' for ourselves so keeping our headshots up-to-date was easy. different than... the other... "established" ones.

of course i had my own. of course we sent out mailers, business cards, flyers and postcards together.

of course they photoshopped my red rocket out. what? i was just so excited to be included. i'm also a dog with a vasectomy. give me a break.
A close-up portrait of a German Shepherd dog with tan and black fur, sitting in front of a blurred brick wall background.
A woman sitting on a black leather couch next to a German Shepherd dog, posed in front of a rustic brick wall background.

beach bums unlimited

11 hours on the road

easy. mom's back sucked. a potty and stretch break every couple hours and we were golden. awkward because my ears can't stand up all the way with the damn boards in the way. "lay down then" ugh. fine.
A German Shepherd dog stands on a sandy beach under a thatched umbrella next to a wooden picnic table. A white tote bag with the Lagom brand name is resting on the table, alongside bowls on the table and a red sign in the background.

"work"

beach toys and digging trenches in the sand while mom works? hell yeah. oh i kicked sand all over your fresh paint? sorry, let me face the other way. adds texture & character anyway. you're not even mad. you're welcome mom.
A woman stands on a sandy beach next to a cream-colored surfboard decorated with yellow floral designs, with a German Shepherd dog beside her. Palm trees, a wooden structure, and the blue ocean are visible in the background.

christmas cards

every year without fail. you only got one if you were in the club. this one? a joint lagom + real estate combo with a freshly finished surfboard on san onefre beach. our favorite. surf spot too.
A German Shepherd dog lies on its back on a white bed, surrounded by a navy blue blanket and a cream-and-blue striped towel.

airbnb privileges

yes I shed a lot but we ALWAYS left things better than we found it. great reviews. other than a streetsweeping ticket the owner didn't warn us about or pay us back for. "you should have known." yeah right.

the usual

mom on her laptop, at the drawing board or playing the guitar. me? on the bed, or at her feet. or howling along. 

in the same room. at all times. some thoughts be scary. ready for the unexpected face lick at any time.

the kissy face? her usual. silly, i know. always meant for me. NEVER an invitation. sooooo many people got the wrong idea about both of us. drove us both mad. "you wanna hike just us?" duh. screw everyone. love certain people. absolutely fine with us. better, usually. only so many people could tolerate us both together. sad? eh, we always had a good time for a long time regardless :)

also had plenty of friends who did. those were the ones we hung out with the most. even if only on blue moons since we're all busy adults with working schedules tired all the time and have families. made those times even greater. a novelty :)

football is life. go utes. nfl size for me since i'm a big dawg. watch me catch it. every time. almost.

mid-life crises could never.

A German Shepherd dog sits on a wooden deck table behind a small birthday cake with a single candle shaped like the number 4, with a house, trees, and mountains in the background.

my only birthday cake

have no fear. i was always spoiled af. new toys, steaks, salmon, and camping trips throughout the year. every year. without fail. no matter how poor mom was. gifts from nana and papi too. cakes were just "extra."
A German Shepherd dog lying on a white blanket, wearing a clear plastic cone with a black collar. The dog has tan and black markings and appears to be looking directly at the camera.

fire ants + ticks

my only annoyances. fire ants were pretty bad, no vet needed with my mom though. ticks? we're not supposed to have them out west but it was a wet spring. she picked over 30 off of me. burnt tf out of them after. sons of...

my own bread loaf

i lived with cats. if you can't tell. mom said it was bad for my knees. always did it anyway. idgaf. it's comfy. let me live. my favorite gator. my "woobie". lasted years.

another day, another office

real estate again. but way more chill. my first impression. worked great until another "it's just not a good fit. focus on your mental health." bullshit. this place though? just running out money. understandable. the muzzle? for traumatized people. not me.

the adventure of a lifetime

A woman taking a selfie with a German Shepherd dog in a desert canyon setting. The woman is wearing a black beanie and an olive green sweatshirt, while the dog has a black collar with a green tag.

desert days

our favorite. of course I stayed cool in the bandana. we spent many winter weekends here. still cold, a lil snow sometimes but the warm red rocks and towering canyons always felt like a warm hug. 
A woman in a white sweater and black pants stands in a snowy mountain landscape with evergreen trees under a bright blue sky with the sun shining. A dog is at her side.

occassional snowshoe excursion

I LOVED these days. it was so much more work than a regular walk. i'd be worn out for days after trudging through deep snow for miles on end. mom struggled every winter. our outside time was always the best medication.
A German Shepherd dog lies on a dirt and gravel shore with a lake and dense evergreen forest in the background.

in my element

summer lake days in the mountains. i really didn't care where or how often we went. as long as i was with mom, i was happy. if not? worried sick. thankfully not often though.
A dog wearing a blue harness walks along a rocky trail between towering red rock canyon walls under a pale sky, with green trees visible in the distance.

walking the distance

always in front. scouting the easiest way through. never too far to make sure mom was keepin' up. respectfully averting any wildlife with plenty of warning. a mountain lion once stalked us. one bark blew its cover. crisis averted.

hotel, car or tent camping? all of the above

never mattered to me. i'll admit the car was always nice on cold nights in the desert with the heat on tap.

the car was never ideal, but it never cramped our style. that's for sure.

better together

our last year together was the toughest by far. my back leg started going bad and we were stuck in an office nearly every day. 

we still managed to get out every so often, but most of the time mom was in pain and tired like you wouldn't believe. we hardly saw our "friends" since we were both overworked. no mind though, we ALWAYS had each other.

and that's all that mattered. even still. together in spirit forever.

cheers. of course i had a sip. and a nug. one on purpose, one on accident. no harm either way.

a bite? truly, only one. no blood. for the intruder that came through the back door at work in our last year together. scary af. for both. still went to work of course. until my legs... ya tu sabes.

this is not the end. we have plenty of adventures and campfire stories to go around. this is only one...