So, my beagle, Brandy, is a fospice failure. Officially adopted! But that being said...she has…read moremalignant melanoma, and her time left on this planet is rather unknown. :( So she decided to #livelikeroo (if you're unfamiliar, you should definitely google it!) and Brandy the Beagle's Bucket List was born.
We've made a steady clip on it, but yesterday we found out some generous, anonymous soul donated a swim sesh for our girl out of the kindness of her (or his?) heart. *swoon* Cathy, the amazing owner of The Puddle, reached out on Instagram (yes, Brandy has her own account...don't judge) and she was immediately amazing. Not even kidding. We exchanged a few emails, spoke on the phone, and set up an appointment for yesterday morning at 11AM.
You guys, this place is AWESOME. Okay, for starters...it's pristine. The shop itself, the pool, the pool area, the drying area, the self dog wash area...all spotlessly clean. It's like dogs don't even set foot in here, let alone parade through here all day. As a germaphobe, these things matter greatly to me, believe me.
Second: Cathy is basically a dog whisperer. If you're a pet parent, you know that warm & fuzzy feeling you get when someone is so incredibly (& genuinely) sweet to your furry family member? That's Cathy. Brandy adored her immediately. *I* adored her immediately. She was SO good with my pup. So gentle, so loving, so kind. I had zero hesitation about having my "non-swimming" dog in a wonderfully warm pool as I sat on the sidelines. Cathy was perfectly attentive and intuitive. She provided a fantastic work-to-rest ratio and was never out of arm's reach; she let Brandy swim independently but stayed close. She switched back and forth from life jacket swimming to free swimming, but always watched Brandy for any signs of stress and/or fatigue. So, how did she, my sweet beagle, like her swimming experience?
Brandy LOVED it, you guys. Loved. It. She took to it like--wait for it--a dog (duck?) to water. (Cheesy, I know. But seriously!) She had an absolute blast and was so calm, so content, so happy. After her swim sesh, you would've thought she was a one year old puppy, not a senior beagle with terminal cancer. Total case of the "zoomies". And then she slept the whole 90 minute drive home!
If you're thinking about introducing your pup to swimming, The Puddle is the place to go. Truth: not all dogs are natural swimmers. Some can't, and that means they sink. Not kidding, you guys. If your canine companion is going to be around water, you definitely need to check this out. Cathy at The Puddle is the best of the best. This is honestly one of the easiest five stars I've ever Yelped. Ever.