While we love every dog that comes to play for what they bring to the table as individuals, it’s always interesting (and usually fun) to see what happens when they get a younger sibling. Sometimes there’s no change. But in some cases, like when Kellogg the shy little Miniature Pinscher got Mille the mini Dachshund for a baby sister, we get to see a side of them that we otherwise wouldn’t, a side that doesn’t just bond the new siblings to each other, but to us as well.

When Kellogg first came to daycare just a little over three years ago, we were immediately stuck by how sweet yet painfully shy she was. You had to pretend you didn’t see her or weren’t looking at her to get her to approach you. You had to use you peripheral vision to see when she was near, then very slowly & deliberately give her the attention she sought. Her timid & unconventionally affectionate nature quickly made her a darling among the staff. When her mom told us that Kellogg would be getting a baby sister, we all hoped that the new puppy would help counterbalance Kellogg’s introverted tendencies & maybe coax her out of her shell a bit. 

There were actually a few false starts for Millie coming to play dueto a lingering stomach bug. But when she finally did arrive, she was all we hoped she’d be and more. She was outgoing, cheerful, bright, happy and curious about everything going on around her. She’ll play with just about anyone, from her & her sister’s size on up to 90 lb. heavyweights. If she wants attention from her counselors, she runs right up & scratches at their legs until they notice her. She adores her big sister & has helped Kellogg loosen up a bit, both with the group & with us. Kellogg will even walk right up to us for attention, even if we’re making eye contact with her!

Mismatched thought they may appear, distinctly dissimilar thought they may be, you won’t find two more dedicated, devoted sisters than Chloe and Olivia.

Chloe, a teddy-bear of a Chocolate Lab, is definitely the strong-silent type. In the five years (!) she’s been coming to PAWS on Bell for daycare, she hasn't barked more than a handful of times. She’s usually much too busy exploring, seeing if everything is the same as last time, saying "Hi" to the counselors and other daycare kids, and in general scouting ahead for her baby sister Olivia. Christine, one of our counselors, commented that if a dog wants to say hi to Olivia, Chloe has to OK them first... “check their references,” so to speak.

Olivia is definitely the talker of the pair.  If she’s happy, excited, unsure, anxious, curious, awake… she has to tell you about it. As loud as she can! She’s a very sweet girl, but she does not possess her sister’s confidence. She prefers to tag along as close to Chloe as she can manage. It’s not very often you see a big brown dog with a little fluffy white shadow.

It’s no stretch to say that we here at the Paws on Bell have a soft spot for pugs.  With their mushed-in little faces and bigger than life attitudes, not to mention the quirks and idiosyncrasies they often display, they are some of the most loveable, endlessly entertaining little dogs around. So this month, we’ve selected two of the puggiest pugs we’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing: Stella and Elroy!

Stellroy, as they’re collectively known, have been coming to us for nearly 4 years now, ever since Stella was just a puppy and Elroy was a half-crazed young man.  And since that time, not a whole lot has changed. Stella is still cute as a button, and Elroy’s still playing with a few cards shy of a whole deck. When they come to play, it almost seems like time has stood still. Aside from hitting a slight growth spurt, Stella doesn’t really appear to have grown up at all. Most of this can be attributed to her adorable eyes; they look like they were drawn on by a Disney animator, embellished to appear way cuter than is physically possible. Those eyes have gotten her out of a lot of trouble, and will probably continue to do so for a long time. Elroy, on the other hand, does look a bit more, let’s say, distinguished. He’s gone a bit grey, as is typical of dogs his age. But aside from that, he hasn’t changed a bit. His favorite means of making new friends, and greeting old ones, is to grab them by the tails when they’re playing with someone else.  And he’s still trying to catch his own tail. One of these days…

Vacation season’s almost here, and what better way to herald its arrival that naming Spike and Chili Lewis, two of our favorite boarders. The boys have been coming to stay with us for almost three years and from the very beginning have occupied a special niche in our hearts.

Spike is the rowdiest, craziest, friendliest, happiest Beagle you’ve ever met. He still looks and acts like a puppy, even though he’ll be four later this year. He thrives on the copious amount of affection he receives from his counselors and cannot stand not being the center of attention. If he’s not on your lap or in your arms, he’s pushing and shoving and flat-out bulldozing his way there. Or he’s busy wrestling & playing tag with the biggest, craziest friend he can find. He prefers the company of the big kids, particularly Diesel the Rottie; in fact, Diesel is the only dog besides Chili next to whom Spike will curl up for a nap.

As a counterpoint to Spike’s lunacy, Chili is a calm, sweet, easy-going little Dachshund who divides his time among naps, getting doted on by the counselors, and keeping an eye on his brother. Even though he’s a little younger than Spike, he’s definitely assumed the big brother role. He’ll occasionally join in the fracas that usually surrounds his brother, but for the most part he tries to act as a buffer between his brother and the trouble that follows him everywhere. When he decides to take a break from wrangling his brother, Chili is happier doing nothing than curling up on or near his counselors & taking a well-deserved nap. He’ll share if he must, but he prefers to be able to sprawl out and have an entire bed, couch or counselor to himself. 

“Super” Cooper Sullender holds the proud distinction of not only being one of our most fun daycare kids, but also “Most Miniature” of any mini-Schnauzer we’ve ever met. At almost three years old, Cooper weighs in at a whopping 12 lbs but the attitude this guy packs is more proportionate to a bull elephant than a tiny terrier.  And contrary to the popular “Napoleon-complex” theory, Cooper isn’t overcompensating for his pixie-ish size with overly-assertive behavior.  He’s just a confident, self-assured guy. To him it makes perfect sense to play with Elilee the Chihuahua, and then Diesel the Giant Schnauzer, or Johnny the Border Collie mix and Larry the yellow Lab.  It may be that he just can’t tell that they’re (sometimes drastically) different sizes.  Or it may be that he can tell & he just doesn’t care.  Either way, it’s always an entertaining (and noisy) spectacle.  True to Schnauzer-form, Cooper is an opinionated individual with a lot to say and a perfect willingness to say it. He’s got a tag on his collar that says “Sir Barks-a-lot”; that about sums it up.

Like a true tough guy, Cooper is also completely comfortable displaying his sensitive side.  Few things make him happy like wiling away the hours cradled in his counselors’ arms.  Sometimes it seems that he would be perfectly happy if his feet never touched the ground again.  Of course, as soon as you put him down he goes diving headlong into some new melee, barking happily & in general having the time of his life.  But he enjoys the calm while it lasts.

Dude is a relatively recent adition to the Paws family, but he’s made a lasting impression already. This three year old American Staffordshire (with probably a bit of Bull Terrier in the mix) is the living embodiment of playfullness, goofiness, friendliness, gentleness, bull-headedness, and just downright loveable-ness. He is the sum total of what happens when one of these wonderful dogs is given a fair chance by an equally wonderful parent to be what he is meant to be: a playful, energetic, devoted, happy, outgoing clown. 

Dude’s favorite activity by far is wrestling with his buddies, or MMMA (Mutt Mixed Martial Arts).  His sparring partners come in all shapes and sizes, from miniscule dynamo Cooper the Mini-Schnauzer to Diesel the powerhouse Rottie; from novices like Johnny the Border Collie mix to experts like Anya the foxy-Boxer, from committed couch-potato Larry the Lab to equally athletic (and goofy) Fitz the Pit/Akita mix.  Dude tailors his tactics to best suit his opponent, and, most impressively, neither he nor they ever push the activity too far or take it too personally.  The first and most important rule is that when it stops being fun, it stops.  Luckily, that doesn’t really come up.  After all, when it comes to keeping the fun going, the Dude abides.

You couldn’t ask for a better Valentine than Morgan, so then who better to be our February Dog of the Month?  This dashing little Goldendoodle has been winning hearts since he started here as a 5-month-old pup, and now that he’s almost 2, our little lover-boy is finally getting the recognition he deserves. 

Morgan is the sweetest, most easy-going little guy you’ve ever met.  Even when he’s playing with his pals, he’s always composed, always relaxed.  His buddies Johnny the Border Collie mix, Zoe the Pug, Lulu the Golden, Bodie the Rottie mix & Danny the Shepherd mix love to play with Morgan because they could do so for hours and never have to worry about anyone getting too rowdy or too rough.  He just wants to hang out and enjoy their company.  Every now and then he’ll politely request his counselors to pick him up and carry him in their arms for a while.  It’s very touching when he does this because he does so to express his trust and affection.  It’s also immensely funny, because Morgan looks like even more of a Muppet than usual (which is meant as a compliment; after all, what’s cuter or more hugable than a Muppet?).  Morgan frequently treats his friends & his counselors to his winning smile.  It’s caught a few of both off guard at first, but they quickly realize that it’s just Morgan’s way of telling them he’s really happy to see them.  It is also, quite literally, an infectious smile; several of his buddies seem to have learned to smile since meeting Morgan.

Jordie is one of our more vocal doggies at Villa La Paws. She has different barks for all her moods. She is also very affectionate and loves being picked up and carried around. Jordie just loves all of her counselors and proves it whenever she gets close to their face, she does everything possible to lick their nose!

These kids sure love daycare! They engage in every activity: water play, bubbles, puppy tag, chasing tennis balls, and taking naps. They also both like to lounge around in the playground equipment and alert the counselors every time someone is approaching the resort.

As with human children, there are some definite differences between brother and sister. Curt likes to play with the other doggies while Chasie prefers hanging out with her counselors.

Bandit will also playfully nip the counselors in the rear to get them to play with him! But his favorite activity is chasing and catching the tennis balls. He gets very vocal over the toys! He will go after them all day long!

Bandit has a younger sister, Xena, also a Tervuren and an older brother, Cody a Lab mix.

She is a very active pup who will play fetch with the tennis balls all day long! She will chase a ball down, bring it back to the counselor and bark at them until they throw it again. Roxie enjoys a short break from playing to get her back scratched by the counselors. She won’t waste much time, though. She doesn’t want to miss out on fetching the toys!

Roxie also has an excellent sense for finding lost tennis balls. She will find every hidden one! When it is time for Roxie to go home at the end of the day, she likes to help get ready by grabbing her own leash and collar off the leash rack. We all love Roxie!

All the staff love Nilly because she is so sweet and laid back. She has a look of intelligence in her eyes. She is one of the preferred dogs to help do temperament tests on new, shy dogs and an excellent dog greeter for the morning daycare introductions. She'll sit on one side of the room and observe all the activity. Thinking she is a counselor, she'll let other dogs know when their behavior is inappropriate.