A ream of pink bags fluttered in the wind last Wednesday morning as Senior Chief Petty Officer Robert Riemer attempted to roll them into a holder shaped like a dog bone. This isn’t one of the senior chief’s normal duties in overseeing the Menemsha Coast Guard station, but with a new puppy in residence, it’s all hands on deck.
Seaman apprentice Coco, the station’s new three-month-old mascot, wasn’t much help; she was mainly interested in making Mr. Riemer’s life difficult by playing with the bags.
The chocolate Labrador mix arrived in Menemsha two weeks ago and is already a member of the family. A longstanding tradition within the Coast Guard, canine mascots have served as companions and search and rescue workers over the years.
“Immediately when there’s a mascot, a new person that arrives at the unit has a friend,” Mr. Riemer said. “That’s really important to help adjust and adapt to the new environment . . .they’re usually beloved members of the crew.”
Coco comes by way of Laredo, Tex., from Petty Officer Riley Dreaney’s family. Mr. Dreaney’s brother and his fiancée owned Coco until the demands of a new puppy and full-time jobs became too much. Mr. Dreaney’s mother suggested the dog move up north to be with the Menemsha unit, and before long a plan was in place to ship Coco up to Boston for pick-up.
The station has been looking for a new mascot since its former mascot, Buddy went on to become a service dog.
Mr. Dreaney, who has been stationed in Menemsha for nearly a year, has taken the lead on training and making sure Coco is properly looked after. He grew up with Bernese mountain dogs and instantly took to the role.
“She’s really good with everybody, she likes to be out and about,” he said. “People are here 24/7 so she gets love and affection 24 hours a day.”
Currently ranked at seaman apprentice, Coco has to go a week without relieving herself in the station house in order to earn a promotion.
“She’s almost there, I think she made it two days,” Mr. Dreaney laughed. Coco wears her rank on her red collar.
The crew will have to decide what her specialty will be. It could be boatswain, mechanic, cook, or engineer.
“We’ll decide what she becomes based on her personality and she’ll continue to rank on through that,” he said.
Coco is already getting acquainted with her neighbors, paying visits to Marshall and Katie Carroll down at the Menemsha Texaco and hanging out with the fishermen on the docks.
“We’re a small town, a small Island, everyone knows who we are,” Mr. Dreaney said. “Now everybody looks forward to seeing her and they’ll know she’ll be here.”
Coco has a crate in the office of the day room, as well as a bed in the communications center. She spends her days in the station or down at the boathouse. She is still learning tricks, but can play tug of war “like nobody’s business,” Mr. Dreaney said.
“She’ll play with herself if you tie a line to the wall, she’ll play all day.”
Having a dog around is great for morale, Mr. Dreaney said.
“No matter what, there’s going to be a dog to come home to,” he said. “If we have a call late at night, and coming in early in the morning, she’s always going to be there playing.”
She also adds a level of consistency to a world where transfers and unit changes are always in the works.
“People will come and go — three years from now not a single person who’s here today will be here — but she’ll still be here,” he said. “She’ll be the longest serving member of the unit.”
And after a long day, there’s nothing like coming home to a dog with a tennis ball in her mouth, ready to play. “She makes everybody laugh,” Mr. Dreaney said.
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