Winter 2023

Working Dogs BY MICHAEL CHATFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY BY KELLI ULDALL 88 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 2 3 Georgie U nlike her breed’s name, this 4-year-old Wirehaired Vizsla’s coat is as smooth as some of the fabrics offered at Bee Bark and Moss in Carmel, where she works with her humans Minori Shironishi and Philip Rodrigue. “She comes from a noted kennel in Hungary,” Rodrigue says. “People say they are ‘Velcro dogs’ due to their coats, but Georgie is an exception.” He says Georgie used to be rambunctious, but has mellowed, and spends her days in the shop greeting customers. Cooper and Duke T hese guys have a way of making themselves part of Maria Finkle’s Carmel Realty team. “They ride in the car with me if the weather isn’t too hot,” Finkle says. “They greet clients at my home office.” They’re also quite tech-savvy for 6-year-old Golden Retrievers. “Cooper and Duke make occasional special appearances on Zoom calls. They get in the window with me, then push me out…soon it’s just the dogs on screen with my name across the bottom,” she says with a laugh. “My fashion philosophy is, if you’re not covered in dog hair, your life is empty.” ~ Elayne Boosler