Daisy Says "Wow!" at Woof Meow in Dover, NH

As soon as Daisy saw the sign in the kitchen at Woof Meow that read "Please help yourself to the cookies" she sniffed the 

daisies,

ladybugs, and pizza slices until she settled on

on two no-frills cookies with blue icing! I thought surely she would've snagged a pizza slice! She later found out that "helping yourself" meant that the store wasn't giving them out for free! Good 'ol mom had to pay $1.75 for each cookie (a bargain!) but that was okay with me because it was fun to watch Daisy enjoy herself on a lazy day! 

Do you have a Woof Meow in your neighborhood? If so, do your dogs love their cookies? What other items are a favorite?

Daisy Heads to K9 Kaos For a Bath

Did you know there's a self-serve dog washing station in K9 Kaos on 432 Sixth Street in Dover for just $15? Daisy rolled in something unpleasant to me but pleasant for her on Sunday night so she was off to get a bath the following day! 

There was nothing complicated about the set up of the bath (no appointment necessary) or in the actual wash because everything was right there for us (shampoo, conditioner, cologne and perfume, thick towels, and a dryer) including treats for being a brave soul! Plus, there was no clean up! It's so much easier to give Daisy a bath here than at home where she can easily hop out and clog the drain with her fur! 

If you live in the Dover, NH, area and are in need of a self-serve dog wash this is the place to do it!

Winichahanat Veterinary Care Opens Its Doors In Downtown Dover, NH

 

Hello! I wanted to make everyone aware that a new veterinary practice, Winichahanat Veterinary Care, opened up on 495 Central Avenue in downtown Dover across from Flight Coffee (478 Central Avenue) and next to Thai Cuisine! 

 Daisy and I took a walk (the novelty of being able to walk to vet appointments is the ultimate convenience!) to see Dr. Hunt and the staff yesterday and we were impressed! 

I wish I had thought to bring my camera so you could see how happy Daisy was to get pets, treats, and hugs from the staff but there's always next time, right?  

I highly recommend you do a "meet and greet" (I never met the vet prior to appointments with Daisy until now!) in the lobby because it is a great way to see if you are a good fit! He's the only vet there and he said he'd always be the only vet so that he can get to know everyone personally. There are two exam rooms complete with love seats so it's cozy and quaint!

For those who worry about finding parking have no fear because there are plenty of parking spaces! As a complementary bonus, Dr. Hunt said he would give parking tokens to anyone who is in need! 

For further information about this veterinary office please visit www.winichahanatvet.com!

The Dog Days of Summer Are Doggone Fun at Longhill Dog Park in Dover, NH

 

Have the dog days of summer gotten you down? Then I suggest you take your dog for a ride to one of the coolest summer and most inexpensive retreat ever; the local dog park.

To keep my coon hound, Daisy, and I cool we headed to  Longhill Dog Park located on Longhill Road just minutes off Central Avenue in Dover, NH, near the Somersworth border. 

 

 

 
As soon as Daisy was released into the "wild" she couldn't stop talking about how much she appreciated the grassy areas for fetch and the wooded areas for shade. I was also thrilled that picnic tables were available for owners who wanted a comfortable spot to enjoy while overseeing their pooches at play.

   

Another thing that Daisy loved was that Longhill Dog Park provides kiddie swimming pools for those who need to quench their thirst

 

or to cool off!

  Because Daisy gets in so many walks with her Teacher's Pet Sitting Service buddies she is too tired to get to the park very often but we hope you will check it out for yourself soon!

Longhill Dog Park is open from 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. from April 1 to Sept. 30, and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Oct. 1 through March 31.

A Downtown Dover Mural Attracts Daisy's Attention

Since you've read countless posts about Daisy's walks in downtown Dover you may wonder what historical sites we see along the way so I thought I would post this charming mural (it helps that I'm passionate about murals and art, by the way) that we walk by almost daily. 

 This downtown mural is on the corner of First Street and Central Avenue, a main thoroughfare of the city, that echoes back to simpler days of long ago that I appreciate so much.

I'm not sure if it's a coincidence that the artists painted a number of musicians to coincide with the popular music store, Earcraft Music, that is on the corner of the two streets or not but even if it isn't it's always nice to be reminded of the powerful influence of music.

It's fun to think of store fronts looking like this and

that children dressed in a modest style.

It is also a pleasure to think that the horse and buggy was a mode of transportation rather than the hustle and bustle of cars and motorcycles.

It is unfortunate that the general store was not preserved because it would be interesting to browse around!

To think of a time when entertainment was at a minimal cost is amazing, isn't it? 

Daisy and I are so proud that this colorful mural brightens First Street in downtown Dover!

Daisy Says "Wow!" at Woof Meow in Dover, NH

As soon as Daisy saw the sign in the kitchen at Woof Meow that read "Please help yourself to the cookies" she sniffed the

daisies,

ladybugs, and pizza slices until she settled on 

on a no-frills cookie with blue icing! I thought surely she would've snagged a pizza slice! She later found out that "helping yourself" meant that the store wasn't giving them out for free! Good 'ol mom had to pay $1.75 for each cookie (a bargain!) but that was okay with me because it was fun to watch Daisy enjoy herself on an unusually hot spring day! 

Do you have a Woof Meow in your neighborhood? If so, do your dogs love their cookies? What other items are a favorite?

Doing Laundry Is a Treat for Daisy!

Doing laundry has never been something I look forward to until yesterday when a very pleasant laundry attendant named Amber invited Daisy inside! 

At first, Daisy was a little spooked by the sounds of whirling clothes and rolling carts but with some reassurance from me and

and some coaxing from Amber to walk to the counter to get a

treat Daisy soon realized that the laundromat is a safe place to be!

As with everyone who meets Daisy, Amber was instantly smitten with her and soon enough she taught Daisy a new trick which was to 

coax her into taking a milk bone from her mouth rather than from her hand! As you can see from the picture above, Daisy was confused by this request but eventually she caught on

and then got a sweet kiss from her now favorite laundry attendant!

Needless to say, I won't be doing laundry by myself anymore thanks to the kind people at 75 Broadway Laundromat in Dover, New Hampshire!

Does your laundromat allow your dog to "help" with your laundry? If so, what has that experience been like for you and your dog?  

Bank of America Has Gone to the Dogs!

As I've mentioned in previous posts, the city of Dover is heavenly for Daisy because she has been receiving an assortment of treats from Aubuchon Hardware, Nicole's Hallmark, Janeto's Superette, and Papa Jay's Pizza just to name a few for the past SIX YEARS but I never thought she would be allowed inside Bank of America because only service dogs are allowed inside but I soon found out that all well-behaved dogs are welcome to 

sit in the ATM lobby,

stand in the waiting area,

                                         
            inquire about funds at the service desk,

  

and receive excellent customer service at the end of each visit! 

What neighborhood businesses does your dog enjoy visiting? I'd love to read about his or her adventures in the comments below! 

Why I Don't Recommend Dog Parks and Alternatives to Keep Your Dog Happy Instead

When my clients ask for my opinion on taking their dog to the park I advise them to avoid dog parks altogether partially because the above rules are rarely followed making for a stressful, exhausting, and frustrating time that could be avoided by simply going on a stroll through the neighborhood or on a hiking trail. 


Many clients are concerned that by avoiding the dog park their dog will miss out on opportunities to socialize with other dogs so I then point out that there are multiple opportunities to socialize and become stimulated by the sights and sounds throughout the neighborhood.

Another reason why I advise clients to avoid the dog park is because many dogs get little to no exercise because, for one reason or another, they prefer to view the sights from a distance! Why drive to the dog park when there are miles of territory to safely explore in the neighborhood instead?

Daisy takes a break on the Dover Community Trail in Dover, NH, with friends Emma and Delainey.

My other suggestion is to find safe, balanced dogs that your dog can play with or hike with in a safe on or off-leash environment. Bike rides or jogging with your dogs are also fun activities!

If, for some reason, you’re unable to utilize these other options and feel the dog park is a necessity for you and your dog, then here are a few tips to think about:

• When you arrive, check out the atmosphere: Is it chaotic? Are there too many dogs in a frenzied state? Are there any dogs who are engaging in bullying behavior or anything else that makes you nervous? If so, honor that feeling and skip the park or wait until a time when you are certain the park will be less populated.
• If your dog is being chased or bullied and appears nervous, insecure, or that the play doesn’t appear reciprocal, calmly go and intercept and get him/her out of there.
• Monitor the situation as you would if kids we’re playing or wrestling!
  

Remember, it’s your job to advocate and protect your dog! Many owners use the dog park as a place for their ill-behaved dogs to run wild, and many other owners are totally unaware of what their dog is capable of and may not even be aware that their dog is dangerous. 

Once again, I don’t recommend the dog park, but if you going to use it, be sure to be as safe, aware, and prepared as possible!

Daisy and I Visit the Tiniest Library in Town!

Daisy has been known to roam through clothing stores, the barber shop, the bank, and the hardware store, but she's never been able to go to the library until she spotted this tiny library located on 88 Court Street in Dover, New Hampshire!

This library was built by Ellen Rogers who is a member of a free book exchange known as the Little Free Library.

Little Free Library is an organization of book enthusiasts who encourage neighbors to create small book exchange centers to promote reading and a sense of community.

 I don't think the novelty of visiting this inventive and convenient library will every wear off for Daisy and me! Isn't it cute?

For more information on building your own Little Free Library, visit www.littlefreelibrary.org.

Daisy Describes Her First Visit to Club Canine in Portsmouth, NH

 Hello All!

 

As you know, I hitch a ride with my mom almost every day to go to lots of friends' houses so we can take walks together so the other day was like no other EXCEPT she drove by everyone's house and I thought for a minute that she was confused (she gets that way sometimes) so I started whining and barking at her until she said we were on a thing called a h-i-g-h-w-a-y because that's how you have to go to get to the Portsmouth Dog Park! I've been here before so I was super excited to race right through the gate!

As you can see, I made a new friend right away! This fella and I immediately started chatting about how cool our moms are and how awesome it was there was an even cooler thing there called a p-o-o-l! I tried talking him into getting in there with me but he said no way because if he did he'd end up at Club Canine! What's so bad about an  all-expensive-paid trip to a club for dogs is what I thought so I got right in that dirty water and boy did it feel good! My mom was okay with it at first because it was like 90 bazillion degrees out but after awhile she said I should get cooled off in a cleaner place called (you guessed it) Club Canine so off we went!

As you can see, I was disappointed when I didn't see any palm trees or people walking around in straw hats and flip flops so I flat out refused to pose for my evil mom! 

And after a few minutes of fighting her to go in she succeeded and then I found myself in this giant bathtub! I was still unimpressed even though the shampoo smelled nice and the water was super cool! 

 

And to make matters worse, she pointed this vacuum cleaner hose at me even though she knows I hate that thing! But the weird part was that I didn't get sucked up into that hose and instead 

I felt a nice cool breeze on my fur. You know, the kind of breeze you feel when you're at a REAL BEACH CLUB! Anyway, I digress! It really wasn't that bad of an experience at all! After all, I was made to feel like a beauty queen, got a couple of treats, and was promised that because I was so good here that we'd go back to the park soon! So, check these two places out as soon as pawsible, my friends! 

Love, 

Daisy 

Jilly Embraces Life and Leisure After Nearly a Year in the Shelter!

 

When I spotted Jilly's adorable but worried face on the Cocheco Valley Humane Society website last month I felt certain that she knew the odds were against her to leave the place she'd been living in for 270 days because 8 year old dogs with a skin allergy and the inability to get along well with other dogs are a hard sell to potential adopters BUT I've always held the belief that all dogs can be rehabilitated. 

I also knew that a client of mine was ready to invite a new friend into his life after losing his golden retriever, Sandi, to cancer nearly a year ago so I practically begged him to meet me at the shelter and the rest, as they say, is history.

Soon after Jilly was adopted she became a shadow of who she once was and has flourished on the busy streets of Dover, New Hampshire, where she's had fun meeting Bob Dylan at Baldface Books, and

customers at Katz Deli and Market and

the Federal Savings Bank!

She also loves to walk to the nearby Park Street Park and then

pause for a water break at the entrance of Nicole's Hallmark, 

and inside 75 Broadway Laundromat! 

 Oh, and that thing about Jilly being unable to get along with other dogs is a myth because she immediately befriended my coon hound, Daisy,

and readily invited her into her home for a refreshment break without any issues whatsoever! 

At the end of the visit it is sad to watch her watch me leave but it is a comfort to know that she is finally in a stable home full of love and lots of downtown adventures! 

If you are hesitating on adopting a new best friend don't let a dog's past history stop you from adopting him or her because rehabilitation is possible and Jilly's story is one example of that!