Doctor Reindeer

Are you ready for an adventure filled quest with pirates searching for a lost treasure?

In 2022, my then boyfriend came up with an idea- let's pick a show and we have to watch it all together...

And here we are, 4 years later, the boyfriend became my husband, and I'm barely through 1/4 of the franchise, but I'm hooked- and so is much of the rest of the world. While the 30-minute episodes are full of adventures and amazing characters who often turn out to represent deep friendship, my favorite character by far is the pirate crew's empathetic and caring doctor- a cute little reindeer who brings a massive heart warming friendship to the crew. I love him because he sees everyone for who they are inside, not just who they appear to be. And for me, as someone in a helping profession, I am drawn to how much he cares about helping those around him. It didn't take long into the series for the crew to adopt him as their very own doctor.

Beyond this character, there are many characters who develop depth as the arc goes on, and the series has a way of drawing you in. Yes, there are some very silly moments- and since the show is originally in Japanese, but dubbed in English, sometimes translations don't come back one-to-one. But the magical thing about this show is that it has been a really fun binder that has brought some whimsy and conversation starters between my husband, my brother, my cousin, and me (and sometimes even strangers!). With this show having so many episodes- and being one of the longest running anime- the show has become a tradition and a constant on its own. My husband and I have incorporated it into our weekly Friday taco night- we usually grab tacos from our favorite neighborhood spot every Friday, and watch a few episodes of the show. With over 1,000 episodes, we barely make a dent only watching a few every week, but it's one of those traditions/activities that I'm not sure I ever want to get to the end of.

While many of the characters you meet are battling their own personal issues, each arc tends to center around values of family, friendship, and doing the right thing. It's incredibly wholesome, and resonates so strongly with me. So, all these years later, while my now husband defintely "got one over on me" by suggesting that we choose a show to watch together to the very end, he actually gave me an incredibly thoughtful gift, that allows us both to sink a little into our nerd-dom and into the fantasy world of pirates, treasure hunting, and chosen family.

The past four years of watching this series have also spanned the live action series on Netflix, which seemed to infuse even more attention and interest in the show. It's been a really cool time to be a fan of the show, while its in the spot light, and with so many features of character merch or references everywhere. This re-emergence of the show in popular culture also overlapped with my relaunch of Exuberant Paws, and I couldn't help but think about how my own pup, Niska, is part of our own little "pirate crew" (our family). Like the characters on the show, our family members aren't perfect, but we all bring something unique to the group. As the animal who thinks she's a human, Niska is like our own little Reindeer Doctor, bringing levity and joy (just the medicine I need on a long day), and helping to remind me of the things that are truly important. So it only felt right that I let her join in on the pirate hunt- giving her gear that is the dark blue- like the ocean of our favorite pirate adventurers, and an "X" that marks the spot on her backpack and treat bag. Check out the full set now on my website (for a limited time).

Full set (Harness, Collar, Leash, Treat Bag, Poop Bag Holder): https://www.exuberantpaws.com/product-page/doctor-reindeer-limited-edition-set-139-save-33

Chart Your Course Bundle (Harness, Leash, Treat Bag): https://www.exuberantpaws.com/product-page/chart-your-course-bundle-109-save-16