by Anne Cosgrove Wimberly | Photos by Linda Earley
Todd Edmonds is an award-winning architect from Oklahoma City.
His firm, HSEarchitects, has been selected to design one of Oklahoma City’s MAPS 4 public-improvement projects
— the Oklahoma City Animal Welfare facility. As principal at HSEarchitects, Edmonds will serve as the architect of record and head designer.
Even though Edmonds is responsible for designing a shelter for many animals, he is content with personally housing only one.
Phase 1: Predesign
“I always wanted an Irish setter. One of my best friends growing up had an Irish setter. His name was Red. And I just thought that was the coolest dog,” Edmonds says. Red’s function, form, and beauty attracted Edmonds. Red was the type of dog he would own someday.
Edmonds began his tenure as a dog owner while in college. He and his fiancée, Becky, bought a beautiful Dalmatian puppy.
“We didn’t know, we were young college students, but Dalmatians are very nervous dogs. They’re not the kind of dog that can just sit and be content,” Edmonds says.
Eventually the Edmonds family grew. The parents raised their children, Cody and Emma, with a Cocker Spaniel. The family loved the hyper Cocker but had to remain vigilant.
“If I just barely opened the front door, they were gone. You had to get in your car and drive around the neighborhood to find them,” Edmonds says of both the Dalmatian and the Cocker Spaniel.
That’s why, after the Cocker Spaniel died, Edmonds thought he was done with dogs. He dreamed of travel and retirement. He looked forward to chase-free evenings
… to spending time with his Becky … to quiet relaxation … to empty-nesting.
Phase 2: Schematic Design
Enter Levi. Levi is Cody’s Doberman Pinscher. Cody acquired Levi a little more than three years ago. Levi fit Edmonds’ image of what a dog should be — large, playful, friendly, and smart. The entire family fell in love with Levi. Emma decided she wanted a Doby to accompany her to college and obtained Milo, Levi’s brother.
Emma and Milo did go to college but had to return home during the pandemic. “I just fell in love with her dog,” Edmonds says of the time Emma studied from home. “Milo was my best friend. I mean, we walked every day. We played every day.”
Phase 3: Design Development
When Emma and Milo returned to school, Edmonds missed Milo. Emma encouraged her dad to get his own dog. Edmonds weighed the responsibilities of dog ownership against the relaxation of retirement years. He formulated conditions.
The first condition was that he wanted a dog related to Levi and Milo. The second was that he wanted a male. And the third condition was that he wanted his dog to be a blue Doberman Pinscher. Both Levi and Milo are blue Dobies. A blue Doby is a Doberman that is gray with brown and tan markings as opposed to the more common black coloring with copper markings.
Edmonds thought his chances of obtaining a male blue Doby from the same parents as Levi and Milo were “pretty slim.” It turns out he didn’t have to wait very long. Levi and Milo’s parents had another litter about a year later.
“The litter had one male blue Doby. So I went and looked at him and bought him,” Edmonds says. “Of course, I couldn’t resist.”
Phase 4: Permits and Negotiations
Edmonds named his blue Doby Gus. Gus is now two-and-a-half years old and
weighs a whopping 108 pounds. He is a loyal, family-friendly dog who also is Edmonds’ best friend and personal trainer. In addition to walking at least two miles a day, Edmonds and Gus play chase and tug and teach each other tricks. Gus knows how to sit, stay, shake, and speak, to name a few.
Unlike Edmonds’ Dalmatian and Cocker Spaniel, Gus understands his boundaries. He patrols the neighborhood from the front porch each morning.
“Gus likes to watch the bus come and go, and occasionally he’ll step off the porch, maybe if there’s a bug or something. But he knows he has to keep at least one foot on home base. It cracks me up every time,” Edmonds says.
Gus loves people, but people don’t always love Gus. Edmonds is aware of the negative public perception that Dobermans receive. Even though Dobermans are protective by nature, they aren’t always fierce.
“I thought the same thing,” Edmonds says of the breed’s reputation. “You watch a TV show and the bad guy was running through the salvage yard, and there were always Doberman Pinschers that attack the bad guy. I always had it in my mind that they were evil dogs, but that’s not the case at all. They’re just very smart and very trainable.”
Edmonds wants others to appreciate rather than fear the playful, goofy Gus.
“A lot of times, you see the Dobermans that have their ears cropped. We purposely did not do that. We just feel the dog is more approachable with floppy ears. And it doesn’t intimidate people as much,” Edmonds explains.
Phase 5: Postoccupancy Maintenance
Gus is smart. He is loyal. He is a true companion, as evidenced by his desire to be near his people. Gus enjoys visits with his older brothers. He knows when to expect treats and to stay on the porch. He won’t run out an open door.
“I always thought that it was strange when people said their lives revolved around their dog, but Gus is different. He’s like a human being,” Edmonds says.
Edmonds schedules meetings at a reasonable hour so he can enjoy his two-mile morning walk with Gus. He trains and plays with Gus each evening. He travels for work and pleasure but “hates leaving the dog,” he says. “We feel bad enjoying our weekend and having to board the dog.”
Gus might mope for a day or two after Edmonds returns, but then it’ll be business as usual. Walks, treats, tricks, a game of chase, and one foot on the porch, right next to his best friend, will right all the wrongs. Gus’ function, form, and beauty fill Edmonds’ heart and home with indescribable joy.
“We just love Gus to death,” Edmonds says.
