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A Very Big Kiss
He weighs in at 175 pounds and dons the appearance of a bear. But at 8 years old, Elwood, the English Mastiff, is a giant teddy bear with a heart to match.

He radiates a cheerful presence that has made him a star behind the stage at every horse show he attends. This year marks Elwood’s fourth smiling for the camera in his holiday attire for the Chronicle’s Holiday Pets Gallery.

Since only 5 weeks old, Elwood and owner Connie Blythe have been nearly inseparable. “It was actually my son’s idea to get him. Before he went away to college he said, ‘You’ll have to find another 165 pounds to fill the sofa.’ Well, I got that and then some.” said Blythe.

From Charlotte, N.C., Blythe rides at Willoughby Farms in Weddington, a frequent trip Elwood never misses.

“When he sees me put on my paddock boots, he’ll run over and sit by the door so I can’t leave without him,” said Blythe. No horse show is complete without Elwood to accompany her 11-year-old show jumper, Unanimous. “They like to go as a team,” said Blythe. “And they’ve been to every show together.”

Unanimous, known around the barn as “Amos,” parallels Elwood’s carefree character, so the pair shares a unique companionship.

“They’re both so laid back. Elwood will walk under and around his legs, and Amos doesn’t mind a bit,” said Blythe. “With both of them, it’s all about having fun, and that helps me keep a good attitude. It’s just as important to have fun at a show as it is to have a successful show.”

On any expedition where golf carts are concerned, Elwood always rides shotgun. It’s not uncommon to see two riders shunned to the back seat while Elwood nuzzles the driver.

And wherever the golf cart goes, Elwood gets showered by pats and back scratches, particularly from the junior riders who’ve come to love him. “Elwood is very popular with the girls, especially the teenage girls,” said Blythe.

His favorite girlfriend is 16-year-old Kimberly Graves, who also rides at Willoughby Farms since her parents, Billy and Judy Graves, own it. Tucked away in the plains of Weddington, this equestrian neighborhood consists of about a dozen elegant stone-and-wood houses with paddocks and schooling rings between. Just another reason Elwood never misses a visit to Willoughby.

But Elwood has courage too. In October, he suffered the affects of a snakebite. “We think he was bitten by a copperhead because he had two puncture wounds on the inside of his leg. We had to lift him up in a blanket to get him in the car to the vet. I’m still working the kinks out of my back from that,” Blythe said with a chuckle.

“He wasn’t his normal chipper self for a few days, but I don’t think any other dog would have gotten through it like he did.”

Blythe also pulled Elwood from danger a few years ago after finding him in a startling situation. “I actually had to pull him off the bottom of the pool to save his life,” said Blythe. “But he has saved me from carjackings, so we’re even.”

This gentle giant with a wagging tail loves to lean his ample physique against his people friends like a bag of potatoes and look up with big puppy eyes until they coddle him with the petting and scratching he lives for.

“A lot of people ask me, ‘Why such a big dog?’ I just say, ‘If you knew Elwood, you wouldn’t have to ask,'” said Blythe.

Ready For Her Close-Up
That’s right, the distinguished 1,600-pound Black Angus we have come to know and love returns to the pages of the Chronicle this year dressed as the Christmas Angel she is.

When the weather cools and the trees drop their leaves each year, Isabella’s modeling career re-ignites. She patiently stands in her stall to receive her wardrobe and become the centerpiece of Sharon and Kris Good’s annual Christmas greeting.

“It’s really funny because everybody in town knows Isabella,” said Sharon. “People see our Christmas cards hung on their friends’ refrigerators and say, ‘Hey I know that cow!'”

The Goods and their cover model live on a 15-acre farm in Boyers, Pa., with 15 other cows, a dog, a goat and four or five cats, depending on the day. Come October in this small town between Pittsburgh and Erie, one question burns against the dropping thermometers: “So what’s Isabella dressing as this year?”

The 7-year-old cow makes quite an impression each season, and the residents of Boyers have grown quite fond of Isabella and her holiday vogue. “I must send out at least 75 Christmas cards each year,” said Sharon. “But that number grows every time. She just keeps getting more and more popular.”

Isabella’s even doing her part to increase her popularity since she’s expected to deliver a new calf on Dec. 26. Maybe it will arrive a day early?

Isabella’s glamorous modeling and breeding careers have earned her a cozy homestead at the Good’s farm.

“She spends most of her summer in the pasture enjoying the sun and grazing,” said Kris. “Sometimes it gets really exciting for her and the rest of the cows when a blimp flies over head. They see its shadow, look up and scatter off.”

During the colder seasons, Isabella and most of her Angus family enjoy the comfort of the barn and a newly cemented patio where mud won’t clog their hoofs.

“Isabella has her moments, but most of the time she’s pretty mellow,” said Sharon. “I think there was just something about her when she was born that drew me to her. I’ve always babied her. There is a feeling of pride having brought her up and being able to watch and help her raise calves each year.”

“And she’s always kind of been the queen around here,” added Kris. “At first she was second in command to another cow, Alicia. But when she was sold, Isabella took over the lead. [The cows] all follow her now.”

After a day at Thornwood Farm, where Sharon works and rides her 13-year-old Thoroughbred, Panama Red, she returns to her own farm to feed Isabella and the rest of the animals.

“Isabella alone eats about 60 pounds of hay a day,” said Kris.

Sharon added, “People ask, ‘Do you feed the cows horse hay or cow hay?’ Our cows are spoiled so they always get the best hay.”

She is indeed a holiday diva ready for her close-up.

A Coat Of Gold And A Heart To Match
Treasure isn’t always gold and silver. It can be found in the rich personality of a dog like Odamae.

The affectionate companion frequents horse shows on the New Jersey circuit with owner Kathy Pinera and lives the life of a true barn dog, with a few extra luxuries. She’s shown her “bling” as one of the Chronicle’s Holiday Pets for two years.

Pinera, of Emerson, N.J., found Odamae as a pup from a rescue group that operates at her local pet store. The Chow/Labrador/Pit Bull mix sat alone in the puppy ring as the final pick of the pack. Pinera couldn’t resist, but she remembered a short period of trying to break the ice.

“We didn’t really bond well for the first few days,” said Pinera. “But once we got to know each other’s personalities, we just connected. Now we’re inseparable.”

Pinera owns and operates Mar Bel Stables in Rockland County, N.Y., where she teaches riding lessons and where Odamae spends most of her days.

“My father used to train, and I started teaching and working at his barn when I was in my teens,” said Pinera. “When he passed away years later, I took over. But around this area, land is limited and expensive, so I’ve had to move around a lot.”

Pinera settled just across the New York border at Mar Bel Stables in May.

With about 30 students and 18 horses on the facility, Odamae can find playmates in every corner of Mar Bel. “There are always kids around the barn, whether they’re students or helpers. They all know and love Odamae, and she loves the kids. She’s definitely a sucker for their attention,” said Pinera.

Odamae’s daily routine typically consists of napping, greeting visitors and the kids, sun bathing, surveying her territory from atop a picnic bench, and roaming the grassy hills with her closest canine companion, Pixie, a small but energetic Chihuahua mix.

Odamae’s tail will wag as long as she lets her nose lead the way and keeps her people by her side, especially Pinera.

“She can tell where I’m going by the clothes I’m wearing that day. She wouldn’t let me come to the stables without her. And the only time she can’t come to shows with me is when I’m judging,” said Pinera, a USEF r-rated judge. “But she leads a pretty good life.”

And Odamae’s fashion proves it. Her wardrobe is invariably up to date in canine trends. She has two custom-made warming blankets by Diane Dzwilewski, two raincoats, and 12 unique collars, each fashioned by Holly Gross.