Granimals: Meet the Pets of Granular
That’s So Raven
Meet Raven is a one-year-old Labradoodle that lives with Granular’s Director of Agency Partnerships, MacKenzie Krantz, her partner Nick, and their new baby Nick Jr here in Milwaukee.
MacKenzie and Nick really wanted a new dog after they lost their long-time best friend Lucy in February, but they wanted to wait until they were ready so Lucy didn’t feel replaced. Just a few weeks later Mackenzie and Nick found out they were expecting their first child together and agreed that it was the perfect time to get a new dog so they could grow up together. They knew they wanted another Poodle like Lucy, so they started researching breeders in the area. Just 5 weeks before they welcomed their new baby boy, they welcomed their new Labradoodle Raven into their family!
About Raven
So is there a story behind Raven’s name? Not really, we named her Raven because she’s black like a raven. We are also big fans of Edgar Allen Poe so it fits us perfectly.
Nicknames: “Ravie Baby” and “The Dog”
Who is Raven’s favorite human? My son Nick (aka PJ), they are best friends and are always getting into something together
Does she have a favorite snack or food? Literally whatever PJ is eating, he shares every meal and snack he eats with her, it’s very cute.
Are there any quirky or silly things that Raven does? She loves to log roll down small hills.There’s a small hill in my neighborhood that she has to roll down every time we pass it on a walk. She is also the laziest energetic dog you will ever meet, if she is in a cozy spot she will not move and has to be dragged out for a walk.
Does she have a favorite toy? Mainly PJ, she likes to nibble on his little arms and legs to make him giggle. Other than that, she loves her Christmas moose.
What does she like to do while you’re working from home? Harass the nanny and the baby.
If Raven was a PPC expert, what would she specialize in? New platforms, she’s always doing something different.
If Raven were a superhero, what would her superpower be? Super Vision & Psychic Powers, so she can see and know what’s going on at all times.
Theme song: “That’s So Raven” from the hit Disney Channel show That’s So Raven
Raven does not have her own social media pages at this time.
Teddy The Little Bear
Meet Teddy, a local Milwaukeean who lives with his mom, Meagan Guse, a Senior Manager of Paid Media here at Granular.
One day, around 7 years ago, Guse decided she really wanted a dog of her own. As fate would have it, Meagan’s mom came across a “Puppies for sale” post from the same breeder she got her dog from. When Meagan first met Teddy, he was a small Teddy Bear pup that came off calm and timid. But when she brought him home, he really stepped out of his shell!
About Teddy:
Is there a story behind his name, Teddy? Initially, I wanted a “Hall of Presidents” herd of dogs and named Teddy after Theodore Roosevelt. But then it dawned on me that there are 46 presidents, and that’s a lot of dogs to have in one household.
Nicknames: Despite “Teddy” already being a nickname, he also goes by “Honey” and “Groot” sometimes.
Are there any quirky or weird things that Teddy does? Ohhhh, he’s not a fan of the mailman at all, and if he hears loud noises, he curls up on my shoulder just like Jack (the monkey from Pirates of the Caribbean). He’s got to be as close as he possibly can at all times. He knows all his toys by name, and fetches them on command. He’s quite the intelligent pup!
Does Teddy have a favorite toy? Teddy’s beloved toy is his Tuff toy Camper van, it’s a flat toy with a squeaker that has miraculously survived his love for destroying squeakers.
What’s his favorite food or snack? Well in true Wisconsinite fashion, Teddy is a cheese aficionado. The moment he hears the bag unwrapping, he zooms in for his cheese tax payout. His favorite’s Gouda.
Has he ever gotten into trouble? He’s a real good boy now, but in his early years, he once jumped up on the counter and ate a full bowl of chocolate. He loves chocolate, but thankfully, he’s outgrown that habit. Also, he’s quite the escape artist when it comes to baby gates, he’s a peacock you gotta just let him fly.
What annoys Teddy Nugget the most? Well, his arch-nemesis is undoubtedly the mailman. He also gets quite miffed at random cars parking and car doors closing. Teddy takes his guarding duties seriously.
If Teddy was a PPC expert, what do you think he’d specialize in? Client Happiness, without a doubt. He’s a people person through and through and doesn’t have many other skills, but making people smile is his forte.
What’s Teddy up to while you’re working from home? When he’s not answering client emails, he barks at the mailman, makes himself a cozy spot on the couch, and often lays by my feet. He’s my loyal work-from-home companion, arguably the best coworker.
If Teddy were a human, who do you think would play him in the movie about his life? I’d have to say Owen Wilson, you know, with his charming “wow” and all. After all, Teddy Nugget is quite the character. Kachowwww
What would be his theme song? “My Way” by Frank Sinatra. Teddy Nugget lives life on his terms, after all.
Last but not least, does Teddy have an Instagram where we can keep up with his life? He sure does! You can follow all his adorable adventures at @itsteddynugget.
Double Trouble with Bobby and Dino
Over the years, we’ve gotten to know many of the Granular office dogs. However, many of us have other animals. Introducing our first installment of Granimals: Cat Edition. Bobby (gray and white) and Dino (orange) live in Los Angeles California with me, Sarah Christiaansen, a Paid Media Specialist at Granular.
Bobby and Dino were both adopted from a local Los Angeles cat rescue where I also volunteer once a week. Bobby is a very chill boy, always looking for cuddles and food. Born with Cerebellar Hypoplasia, Dino is a special needs kitty and a little more “off-the-walls” than his brother. Together, the two enjoy wrestling, begging for food, chasing each other, napping, begging for more food, going outside on their harnesses, meowing at squirrels and birds through the window, hanging out with me, and begging for even more food. They are trouble-makers, but also the best cats ever.
About the Boys
How did they get their names? – Bobby and Dino were the names they were given at the rescue. I didn’t particularly like either name, but after bringing them home, I couldn’t change them because they fit too well.
Any nicknames? So many.
- Bobby: Bob, Bobs, Robert, BooBoo, Baby Boy, Handsome Man, Stinky, Bobenheimer
- Dino: Deanie, Deanie Babies, Deanie Bop, Dino Bino, DeanDean, Stinky, Darbie
What are some of their quirks?
- Bobby: When Bobby falls asleep in my lap, I like to wake him up after about 30 minutes. He wakes up, sees me, and gets really happy and starts purring, almost as if he forgot he was there in the first place.
- Dino: Dino has Cerebellar Hypoplasia. If you’ve ever heard of or seen a “Wobbly Cat”, that’s him. His CH is very mild, but he does wobble around, fall off things, and often dons a wide-legged power stance.
Favorite toys? –Both of the boys are obsessed with a toy called The Bird. Dino will even wait outside the cabinet it is kept in and meow for it.
Favorite snacks? – Literally anything. These boys love to eat.
Special tricks? – Bobby knows how to shake. But that’s only because I put a treat in my hand and it’s him mostly just reaching for it.
If the boys were PPC experts, what would they specialize in?
- Bobby would be a Lead Gen Expect because he’s so cute that he could get anyone to sign up for whatever he was advertising.
- Dino would be a Social Ads Expert because I swear he could be huge on TikTok, he just hasn’t put any effort into his account yet.
What do they do when you’re working from home?- Bobby will usually try and sit in my lap and definitely interrupt meetings. Both boys beg for food at some point during the day, which takes the form of loud meows while I’m talking with a client, usually. But mostly, they sleep.
If Bobby and Dino were humans, who would play them in the movie about their life? – Dino would be played by Jack Black. Bobby would be played by Zac Efron. No further explanation needed.
What is their theme song? – The boys don’t have a theme song that is an actual, purchasable song. Their theme song is whatever silly tune I come up with for the day.
Millie the Girl in the Big City
Millie lives right here in Milwaukee with Senior Manager of Paid Media, Mike Schuerman and his wife, Liz.
Mike and Liz got Millie from the suburbs of Milwaukee when she was just a puppy. They had recently “dog-sat” for a family friend and fell in love with their Australian Shepherd, which they quickly realized they had to get an Aussie pup of their own. They contacted the same breeder of their friends’ dog and the rest was history.
She’s adjusted well from suburban to life in the city. She loves her bi-weekly “girls time” walks with her best friend, visiting her human friends at doggy daycare and training for city marathons with Mike. Don’t let her fool you though, once she gets to her grandparents house outside of the city, she thrives in the big open fields chasing the wildlife, such as the turkeys that frequent the backyard.
About Millie:
How did Millie get her name? Mille is named after the city her parents met and fell in love, Milwaukee!
Nicknames: Millie has many nicknames that she’ll answer to, but our personal favorite is “Millie Moo.” When Millie was a pup, Mike and Liz dressed her up as a cow for Halloween and just randomly started calling her “Millie Moo”, Millie would get all excited and start wiggling her little booty every time they would “Moo” so name has stuck ever since.
Honorable mentions: Bubba, Mealie & A Milli A Milli A Milli (author’s note: that’s what I’ve been calling her to myself as I write this so thought I’d add that)Recommendations – Debbie, Young Millz, ChaMILLionnaire.
What are some of Millie’s quirks? Mike and Liz have a running list of quirks they dubbed “Millie Tings”:
- When she’s excited she wiggles her whole booty and her little tail nub
- Her “Face of Enjoyment” (see photo below)
- She cries tears of joy every time they give her a Greenie treat. She just stands there and smiles with it in her mouth, forgetting she can eat it right away.
- Playing hide and seek with her Bully Stick, where either Liz or MIke hides it in their apartment and she gets to go find it.
- On a similar note, she loves to hide her Kong toy and make Mike and Liz do the seeking.
Does Millie have a favorite toy? – Out of all the toys Millie’s been given, she found one rope that she absolutely loves and hasn’t destroyed it yet. Even though she’s ripped all their stuffing and squeakers out, Millie has a set of stuffed animals that she treats like their her babies. She knows them all by name and will tuck them into bed at night to go to sleep.
What’s her Favorite snack? – Eggs. Millie loves eggs. That girl Debbie from “The Girls Room” has nothing on Millie, she could out egg her any day. She also loves a fresh scoop of frozen cream cheese every now and then, but it still doesn’t compare to a good egg.
Does Millie have any special tricks (hidden up her sleeves)? – Yes, she’s a very smart girl so she knows all of the basic commands, but she specializes in high-fives and rolling over. If you hold your hand above your head and ask Millie for a high-five she will jump 5 feet in the air and perfectly slap your hand. Everytime.
If Millie was a PPC expert, what would he specialize in? – Brand Awareness. Once you see or meet Millie, she will leave a lasting impression.
What does Millie do while you’re working from home? – Bark for attention. She hates when Mike is on the phone, and only Mike for some reason. She’ll bark, cry or bring her rope over to Mike to try to get him off the phone. When that fails, she gets all cozy on the couch but huffs and puffs as she makes her bed to let Mike know she’s not happy about it.
If Millie was a human, who would play her in the movie about her life? – Shakira obviously. Not only do Millie’s hips not lie, she also can “Le-do-lo-le-lo-le, le-do-lo-le-lo-le” all night long.
Millie’s theme song: Avril Lavigne’s “Girlfriend” the Mike & Liz Remix. Millie loves a good old classic remix, so really any song you can work “Millie” into is her theme song until she hears the next one. Here is a custom Apple Music playlist of some of her favorite songs performed by their original artists.
Podrick the Menace
Podrick belongs to me, Megan Klein, Manager of Paid Media at Granular. I helped The Rick break Amish in August of 2021, and my life hasn’t been the same since…
My house was basically a farm growing up. At one point we had 4 dogs, 4 cats, a “teacup” pig (he was 300lbs), and 2 goats, so I would argue that I am pretty qualified when it comes to raising pets. But let me tell you, nothing could have ever prepared me for Podrick and his obscenely unique personality.
About Podrick:
How did Podrick get his name?: I am a big Game of Thrones fan but an even bigger fan of weird names for pets. Since Pod is a very loving Mini Aussie, naming him after Podrick Payne (the squire in GOT) just felt right. They both have red coats and are very loyal & loving boys.
My roommate recently adopted a cat and we obviously had to keep with the tradition… Meet Lady Brienne of Tarth.
Nicknames: Pod has a lot of nicknames depending on his behavior, but my personal favorite is Dennis. He loves to act out when he feels like he isn’t getting enough attention by stealing things and running away with a huge smile on his face, so I started calling him Dennis The Menace when he’s menacing. This evolved into just “Dennis” but at least he knows he’s being bad when we call him that and he’s a good boy again.
There’s also: The Rick, Pod, Poddy, Podrichardson, Poddy Rich, Big, Rickon, Ricky Rick & The Pod Man, the list goes on.
What are some of Pod’s quirks?: He loves to terrorize children, not hurt or harm them in anyway but likes to mess with them. We have a neighbor who loves to make chalk drawings in his driveway when he’s playing outside. Podrick has made it his life’s mission to pee on this poor boy’s art while he’s still drawing. I had to buy our neighbor a huge box of 250 different colored chalk to make up for Podrick being an absolute menace to society. On a much cuter note Pod also loves to kiss you good morning and night and gives the best hugs. Nobody can hug in front of Pod unless he is involved, it’s adorable.
What has Pod been in trouble for before?: Nope. He is an absolute angel. Hasn’t done a bad thing in his life.
Does Pod have a favorite toy?: A Rubber tire named Robert, after Robert the sentient tire from the hit film Rubber. Recently Robert hasn’t been doing too well (Dennis got to him) so he’s starting to really enjoy the fishing pole cat toy we got for Lady.
If Podrick was a PPC expert, what would he specialize in? Awareness marketing, he really knows how to be seen and heard.
What does Pod do while you’re working from home?: He loves to watch TV, he has to watch The Price Is Right everyday (he loves the sound effects and people cheering, he thinks it’s for him). After that he’ll either nap or chase his sister around the house. You never know what Rick you’re gonna get.
If Podrick were a human, who would play him in the movie about his life?: Hands down Adam West, but specifically his character Mayor Adam West. He is the only actor meta enough to capture Podricks delusionality perfectly . Either him or RDJ in Tropic Thunder.
Podrick’s theme song: Shake Ya Tailfeather by Sean “P. Ditty” Combs, Murphy Lee & Nelly, from his favorite movie Bad Boys 2. He is a huge lover of the arts, check out his Spotify playlist: LINK HERE and you can also follow him on Instagram @PodricksPaynes
Josie the “Josie Breed”
Josie lives in Nashville with Granular Senior Manager of Paid Media, Mac Kurth and his wife, Celia. When Josie was a puppy, Lucky Mutts Rescue brought her to Wisconsin from Oklahoma where Celia and Mac adopted her when she was 4 months old.
Mac works remotely for Granular from Nashville while Josie sleeps on the couch. Josie has Mac very well trained that lunchtime is for walkies and 5 pm is for playtime. Every day she takes a break from her couch nap to remind Mac of his duties. Just like Oscar Meyer the Wiener Dog, Josie was there for her parents’ engagement. Mac, Celia, Suzie (Josie’s doggy sister at the time) and Josie were camping at New Glarus State Park, where Josie took a knee with Mac when he proposed.
About Josie
Breed: “Josie breed”, she’s a one-of-a-kind mutt.
Siblings: Pancake, the neighborhood cat who is determined to be part of Josie’s family whether she likes it or not. Mac and Celia have officially taken Pancake in and, within a week, they discovered that Pancake was pregnant. She has since had four kittens who Josie has also taken under her wing.
Favorite food: Whatever her humans are eating. If her humans dare to leave home without her, she rebels by stealing treats. When Mac and Celia return home and scold her, Josie puts herself in time out, sitting in the corner, staring at the wall.
Favorite human: Mac until anyone else comes over to the house and she abandons immediately for a new best friend.
Favorite toy: Josie looooves a good stick and will always choose a stick over any of her toys.
If Josie were a human, who would play her in the movie about her life?: Anna Kendrick. Josie is also small, energetic, and quipy.
If Josie was a PPC expert, what would she specialize in?: Automation, that PPC stuff would really cut into her naps.
If Josie were a superhero, what would her superpower be?: Super speed, Josie is a force to be reckoned with when she gets the zoomies.
Theme song: The song for which she was named, “Josie” by Blink-182. Mac also serenades her with Jolene by Dolly Parton but “Josie, Josie, Josie, Josieeeee”. Josie does not have her own Instagram account but Mac’s is basically a Josie fan account. @macnzkurth
Oscar Meyer the Wiener Dog
Oscar Meyer the wiener dog belongs to Granular Founder/CEO Jordon Meyer and Agency Operations Manager Jaime Meyer. He is 12 lbs and 8 years old in dog years (48 in human years).
Oscar’s origin story: Jaime had a “one puppy” coupon (with no expiration date) from Jordon that went unredeemed for years. One day, a colleague of Jordon’s at the time mentioned they had a friend who received a puppy unexpectedly as a gift for their young toddler’s birthday and couldn’t keep it. They went to meet the puppy and fell instantly in love and Jaime was finally able to redeem that coupon! So Oscar found his way to the Meyers, and their lives were changed forever.
Oscar has been there with Jaime and Jordon for some important events in their life, including when they got engaged! It was an ordinary Saturday for the three of them. They went out to breakfast at their favorite restaurant and walked Oscar through the Peace Garden in Minneapolis. It was there, in front of a waterfall, that Jordon proposed to Jaime with Oscar there as their witness.
Who is Oscar?
In the autobiographical feature film about Oscar’s life, he would be played by Jeffrey Tambor of Arrested Development, the character for which he was named.
Favorite snack: Dentistix, he gets it as an after-dinner treat and will run laps around the house after receiving one. You can’t even say “Dentistix” around Oscar without him losing his mind.
Favorite toy: Oscar is fully obsessed with his bone. Jaime and Jordon continue to buy him the same bone over and over again to keep him happy. Whenever he gets a new one, he goes crazy for it: He plays for an hour straight, he can’t calm down, he will put it under a blankie or dog bed so he can pretend that he needs to dig for it.
Quirk: Oscar will suddenly decide he is scared of a certain part of the house. The part of the house changes each time. If you throw his bone there, he will tiptoe to get it and act like he’s walking on lava.
Who is Oscar’s favorite human?: Jaime, but it’s close. Oscar, Jaime, and Jordon participated in the wiener dog race at German Fest one year, knowing he would win if Jaime stood at the other end. Sure enough, he won that day!
Sibling: Bluth
If Oscar was a PPC expert, what would he specialize in?: Oscar would be a very old-school, purist PPCer who gets annoyed by all the new stuff Google throws at us. He growls at automation and RSAs.
Instagram: @oscarandbluth
