Noise Engineering

Of course, our “Who we are” series wouldn’t be complete without interviewing Noise Engineering’s Canine Associates. Here’s what they had to say.

Where’s your favorite place to nap?

Daisy: My bedroom. [ed. note: that’s Stephen and Kris’s closet which now has 3 dog beds and almost no place to stand]

George: in the sun or under a desk

Snoopy: My mom’s lap.

Doc: Cool wood floors. I have beds, but don’t use them.

Snoopy lying on a bed with his mouth hanging open.

How do you feel about food stored in jars with lids?

Daisy: That’s some BS.

George: Mom will open it. It’s fine.

Snoopy: I hope it’s for me.

Doc: Not a fan.

What’s your backstory?

Daisy: I came from a rescue called k-9 connection has at-risk youth train shelter dogs. Back in the day, Mom used to volunteer with them as a dog walker. I was in the program and got really depressed after a year of living in the shelter. The program manager pulled me for foster care and through a long series of crazy events, I ended up where I am. I was sickly and pathetic (and about 18 lbs lighter) but I thrived in foster care. After a few months, the concept of giving me up became real and the humans made it official: they are foster failures. I was 3 when I found my forever home 12 years ago. It’s been pretty good and we’ve been through a lot (broken foot, splenectomy, and a LOT of “dietary indiscretions”), but I think I have it pretty good here.

George: I came from a place called Angel City Pit Bulls. They pulled me from what was then a high-kill, high-turnover shelter full of pitbulls. Someone dropped me off there because I was “too nice.” The rescue knew they had a winner. I like to think they are right. When my humans got me, I had no hope at all: if you tried to use treats for training, it didn’t work. I wanted the treat, but if you didn’t give to me right away, I didn’t think I’d ever get it. Now I have nothing but hope. Every move toward the kitchen? Could be a treat or food. Every glance toward the treat storage? MAAAAYYYYBE. I was five when I found my forever home eight years ago. It’s been a long road to undo a lot of my fears from those days but I am a pretty happy dude these days.

Snoopy: I used to live outside tied to a tree, but then Bella Vista Rescue found me, made sure I had all my shots, and eventually set me up with a foster mom. I love my foster mom!!! She taught me how to walk on a leash, gave me soooo many snuggles, and brought me to the beach and hiking all the time. When my mom came to bring me home for the first time, my foster mom cried! Luckily I still visit her and we party together.

Doc: Doc is a pyredoodle born March of 2021, and is either all go, or asleep, there is no middle-ground. Doc spends all day at Norm’s feet and has become quite a fan of the strange sounds coming from on top of the table. He is very interested in all of the patch cables, so it looks like he may go modular soon. Keep an eye out for his debut album under the moniker “Normandy Paws.” We’re not sure of the exact genre yet, but rest assured, it’ll be noisey.

George wearing red headphones.

What do you do at NE?

Daisy: Snore and prance. I was the original NE dog. Also, I sleep. A lot.

George: I sleep, but am weirdly good at making sure people pay attention when I am walking toward a door. In the Before Time, when we all worked at my house, everyone in the company would run toward the door for me. It’s my way of making sure people get in their steps.

Snoopy: I take care of my mom and make sure she remembers to go outside every now and then. At the end of the workday it’s very important to celebrate—another day came and went, and we love each other, and so we should have a party!! So usually I take my mom on a little hike, and smile at her a lot. Then when we get back home I like to do some zoomies in the living room and play in the yard after dinner. You know, cool dog shit.

Doc: I always make sure that Norman’s chair doesn’t move. I like to lay in between the feet of the chair, that way it doesn’t roll away. I’m also the final say on all of Norman’s videos. I help with the final editing, and boy is it needed. Probably the most important thing that I do at NE, though, is that I am Norman’s alarm clock. I wake him up every day and take him on a walk so he is awake and ready to start the day.

George the dog wearing a purple sweater and making a ridiculous face.

Tell us about a day in the life.

Daisy: These days, I get up around 8:30 and get fed and walked. After that, I usually go back to my room for a while. I come back upstairs and hang out in the sun (it’s California, so there’s usually sun). I wander between sun, Mom and Dad’s offices (there are beds for me everywhere) and my room as I feel. I come back up around 5 so I don’t miss dinner. Then I crash until 7 when it’s cocktail time, and my workday is done. [ed. note: the dogs don’t get cocktails. They DO get ice cubes which is somehow an amazing treat for them.]

George: I wake up and wait for someone to help me get upstairs. Sometimes I can do it, but sometimes Mom or Dad carries me. We have breakfast and I go for my morning walkie which isn’t very far but it’s a lot for me. Sometimes I get distracted and just spend the whole morning on the back porch. I’ll come in when I get a bit overheated and make sure everyone is here and everything is okay. Then I’ll go back to sleep, but in one of my inside beds. Around 4:30, I wake up and keep an eye on the humans: any movement toward the kitchen COULD be a move toward dinner. After dinner, I get carried outside once more and then I come in and hang out until it is cocktail time [ed. note: see above. We do not give the dogs actual cocktails. If you believe that we do, you’ll also believe those puppy eyes that will tell you we haven’t fed them in the last 3 years and you should give them all the food]. After the humans eat dinner, Dad carries me downstairs and we snuggle on the couch until bed.

Snoopy: I wake up in my mom’s bed, even though I fell asleep in my own bed (I’m still not sure how that happens) and think about breakfast. I wake up Mom because she’s probably thinking about breakfast too! We go downstairs together, she makes coffee while I eat my breakfast, then we pop into the yard to sniff the perimeter, defend the home from enemies, and go potty. I usually have to yell at one to three passersby before 8am, but it’s no sweat for me because I love to use my vocal chords. Sometimes I get a little sip of mom’s coffee when she’s not looking, but lately she’s been keeping her mug up high so I haven’t had as much as I’d like. After all that, I go back into Mom’s bed for my morning nap. About an hour later we go on a walk. After the walk, I take my second morning nap. Then I scratch my feet and back for a while. Then I take my afternoon nap until I sense mom needs a break, and we go outside for a few minutes (more sniffing). After we take a break, I nap until I start thinking about dinner.

Doc: I wake up at 6:00am every day, no matter what time we all go to bed. This way I can take a walk nice and early. I like to check the neighborhood every day to make sure that everything is in working order. When I get home, I eat my breakfast and then it’s time to take a nap. I sleep in Norman’s office all morning. I’m still just a pup, so a lot of my day is napping. I wake up at lunch time, eat, get a quick play in the backyard, and then it’s back to sleep for me. After work is when I really get excited! I eat dinner, go for another walk, and then it’s play time, or we go out for a bit. I enjoy going to all the dog-friendly places around town. I check the yard and house to make sure everything is safe, and then it’s off to bed.

Peanut butter or Pumpkin?

Daisy: Yes, hooman.

George: Both and a Greenie.

Snoopy: Peanut butterrrrrrrrr

Doc: Can you give me a pumpkin covered in peanut butter? Yeah, I want that.

Fetch, tug or keep away?

Daisy: Fetch, fetch, snore.

George: Snuggle.

Snoopy: Yes.

Doc: Fetch, and then tug, and then fetch. Keep away is what I like to do when I’m not supposed to have something.

How do you feel about the Sinc Iter?

Snoopy: I’m pretty sure it’s a small animal living in the walls of our house.