I've spent a lot of my time the last 48 hours in the company of dogs. (For my family members- I do not mean you guys!) Christmas (or any holiday) at the boarding kennel is a time of abundance in our business. Like a hotel during its peak season, we are at capacity and the guests needs come first.
As I walked dogs last evening, I paused to enjoy their antics and reflect on some of them. Of course, anytime we are full, there will be a variety of both breed types and personalities to contend with. Here is a brief overview of the guests in our care today.
The Newfs- these are a pair of 170 pound (yes, they are actually 170 pounds each!!!) Newfoundlands. Their names are Oliver and Captain Bartlett. They are massive mounds of black and white fur who walk outside suprisingly slowly for their respective sizes. The girth and breadth of these dogs is immense. They are like walking mountains.
The Bad Labs- this is a group of Labrador Retreivers who are housed individually and belong to separate owners. They are stationed in an aisle of the kennel together so that their obnoxiously abundant energy does not infect the rest of the facility. When I begin walking the dogs in this aisleway, I take a deep breath and call upon my inner reserves of strength. They have names like Toby, Jake and such and are varying colors of chocolate, black and yellow. And they are all extremely loud.
Chickie and Drew- This pair is a collective weight of 4 pounds. Each weighs in at roughly two pounds and they are possibly the smallest Yorkshire Terriers I have ever seen. In their private kennel run, they each have little beds that would rival the Hilton, fancy dinner dishes, and they peek beneath their long tresses waiting to be picked up. Although each of them has four legs which appear to be working properly, I have not seen either dog walk since they checked in. We carry them everywhere. They are the perfect size to tuck under my arms neatly.
Rocco- He is a 6 month old miniature Poodle who has a personality as large as his traditional foo foo hairstyle. With large pompoms one each of his feet, he struts to his private exercise area and begins barking to announce his arrival. Although we've offered to carry him outside, Rocco prefers to walk so as to not be embarrassed in front of his friends "the bad labs". He is hoping to join their gang when he gets a little older.
The Dachsunds- This trio of Germans does not speak our native language. All are fawn in color , two are greying in age, and one bites. We repeat the same ritual each day- at least four times per day. The largest and smallest are eager to go outside and relieve themselves. The middle Dachsund feels the need to defend her pack and bares her teeth, snarling and gnashing her jaws, threatening any intruder who dares enter their living space. The eager pair of friendlier pups barrel past her to run ahead outside. We coax her to join them and she eventually acquiesses to our demands.
The Doodles- This is a menagerie of dogs who claim some descendancy from a Poodle. They include Labradoodles, Goldendoodles, Schnoodles, Cockapoodles, and a lone Malti-Poo. Each of them comes with the happy-go-lucky personality of a poodle and the need to be groomed in some manner before they check out. Can you say- Shave and a Hair Cut, Two Bits...
That is a sampling of some of the canines who are in residence at our place this weekend. We often say that owning a dog kennel is similar to being a grandparent- we get to love them, spoil them, take care of them when their parents want to go out, but always get to send them home.
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