Dogs…Yes, five of them currently… Do they all get along? Not always. Do they bring extra chaos into our day requiring earlier mornings, later nights or midnight interruptions? Absolutely! They are entirely dependent on us and deserve the best so we have to deliver that for them.
We’ve had so many incredible times of joy and yes, tragedy, when it involves our furry soul mates. The worst experience I remember too vividly happened last year when we were getting ready to go to our annual hospital gala. We hired a driver who has been a dear friend for years as we knew we were going to have more than two drinks. When our Driver arrived, he didn’t realize that our lab was still only a puppy(he was pretty large for his age) and our boy Blue was run over that night. He was only seven months old. He died in my arms on the way to the emergency hospital. I will never forget the softness of his fur and his heartbeat and the cherished days that we had with him.
I can tell you that this tragedy did turn into an unexpected blessing just seven months later when I called the breeder to share what had happened as I took responsibility for not having him inside. She shared that Blue’s brother, from the second litter of the same mom and dad, was the only puppy left from that second litter and available...We thought very hard about whether we were ready for the emotional attachment. We decided to bring our baby boy Stout home. He is a great blessing that shares his energy and love of life with us every day with that same incredibly soft fur and puppy spirit.. Stout is now 2 years old and I look at him as two dogs in one…So I guess I should really say we have six dogs.
You may wonder whether this love of dogs made itself into Hearth and Soul...The answer is yes! Over 10 years ago during the creation of Hearth and Soul, when I asked my friends my favorite question, “What feeds your soul?” Many of you answered "my dog.” The result, Hearth & Soul has a pet corner in every store to celebrate our furry soulmates! We also celebrate National Dog Day every August with an in-store photo contest. Come and see us with your special pup this year. Cheers to our furry soulmates who feed our souls and brighten our lives!
Cheers!
Susie
