Tired of your pup begging for your sweet Easter treats? This year, save the trouble by getting them their very own Easter basket! It’s super simple and your furry friend is bound to love it. Here’s how to make the perfect doggie Easter basket in just a few simple steps!
1. Pick out an Easter themed basket.
There are so many different options for what you can use to hold all of your pup’s goodies. The most common options are wooden or plastic baskets. You can find each kind in lots of different colors and prints and most are very affordable. Pick whatever fits your their personality best!
2. Add treats.
You can add a bag of your pup’s favorite treats, or you can go for some Easter-themed snacks. There are so many recipes online for dog friendly cookies, peeps, cakes, etc. You also have the option to stop by a local dog bakery, where they have lots of customizable treats in different flavors, shapes, and sizes!
3. Get some fun toys.
During holiday seasons, many pet shops come out with cute festive toys you can pick up if you’re really in the holiday spirit. A new chew toy or plush bear is sure to brighten your doggie’s day!
4. Grab some festive Easter accessories.
Choose a festive new collar or bandana for your pup to wear on Easter Day. A fancy bow or a cool new leash would also make a great addition to their basket.
5. Break out the plastic Easter eggs to make it all come together.
Grab some plastic eggs and put some milk bones or small snacks inside. You can add as many or as little as you would like, and for even more fun; you can hide them later and have doggie Easter egg hunt!
Now you have the perfect DIY dog friendly Easter basket! Check out Tiki’s Easter basket this year!
What’s inside? Two bags of his favorite treats, two Easter bandanas, two cute toys, and lastly we added plastic Easter eggs with milk bones inside!
**Tag us on Facebook or Instagram to show us your doggie’s Easter basket this year!
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The continuation of ‘Tiki’s Story’…
Although Tiki had spent so much time at the vet, he was only in the beginning stages of his recovery. For another month or so, Michelle, and some of the staff at that time, would take turns caring for Tiki. He still could not walk due to his injury, so they would carry him around on a large, sturdy platform in order to get him around for the time being. They would carry him inside and outside several times a day, and he would just hang out with Michelle in her office in his spare time. After almost two months of not being able to walk, they knew it was time. It was time to begin teaching him how to walk again. They could see it in his eyes just how much he wanted to walk, and he was determined to become mobile again. They would encourage him to walk by crouching down a small distance away from him, and they would call him to them. Although he would cry out at times due to the pain at first, he eventually began to drag himself using his front legs. He did this for some time to get around, but over time he finally began to use his back legs again. Of course, it wasn’t perfect at first. He would keep his back legs together and he would practically hop around. This was still so, so far from where he started. He was making so much progress then one day, in the blink of an eye, he began walking on all fours. It really goes to show you that with a little hope, you can truly do anything.
Originally, we thought Tiki would be adopted out, but we had grown far too close to him. He was apart of our family now, and everyone had so much love for him. He was simply the one, and he’s been with us ever-since. As you can see, this was not a story that could be summoned up in just a few sentences. Did you know that in the U.S alone, approximately 1.2 million dogs are hit on the roads each year? This is a staggering, heart-breaking number. This is just another reason why Tiki’s story was so important for us to tell. It is important for us to be reminded of how much power we have to help not only people, but animals too. We love you Tiki, and we thank you for bringing so much love and laughter to our lives each and every day. You inspire us, and our lives wouldn’t be the same without you!
Each and every dog has their own unique story. Here at Good Dog, we see hundreds of different dogs, from towering Great Danes to tiny chihuahuas. They all come from different backgrounds and homes, and their owners always have fun stories to tell. Unfortunately, not all dogs have a great start, but there is so much beauty in what we as people can do to better a dogs life. As many of you know, we have a furry little pug-poodle mix named Tiki, who has been our mascot for Good Dog for eight years! We always get so many questions about him, and we figured it would only be right to outline his inspiring journey for you all. Tiki’s story; who he is, his accident, and his recovery.
People are always so intrigued by Tiki, as he is a scruffy little old man, with a huge underbite, who just hangs out on our desk in the front lobby. He is always there to greet everyone as soon as they come in, and he is not the least bit shy. He is very much known for running around demanding attention. Many would say he lives the perfect doggie life, because all day long he gets numerous treats and all kinds of affection. If you know Tiki, you know that he is extremely vocal and makes the strangest noises when he gets excited. One thing for sure is that Good Dog would not be the same without our beloved Tiki. He is hilarious and truly one of a kind. In the eight years that he has been with us, he has changed so many of our lives for the better. I think I can speak for all of us when I say, Tiki makes coming to work so much more enjoyable. I mean, who wouldn’t want a cute little dog by their side all day while they work? Now, how did we get tiki you may be asking? It all started back in September of 2011. Michelle, who is one of the managers for Good Dog, was off for the day and she had an appointment scheduled at a beauty salon to have her hair styled. As she was waiting in the front lobby, one of the stylists rushed in exclaiming to her co-workers, “I am so sorry i’m late! I just saw a dog get hit by a car!”
After hearing this, Michelle, who has worked with dogs for years, and has many of her own, of course started to tune in at this point. The stylist goes on to say that she couldn’t keep him due to having two boxers at home, so she just took him to a nearby vet to see what they could do. Michelle at this point explains to her that she works for Good Dog, and she would love to help out, as we have had many rescues. So, she gives the stylist her number and waits to hear back. Not too long after, she ends up reaching out to Michelle. She tells her that Tiki had a broken hip and he was going to have to stay at the vet for quite some time. If you are a pet owner, you know how expensive things can get when you make trips to the vet. Although the stylist had no money to pay for him to essentially live at the vet for a while to recover, that’s when a miracle happened. A woman was standing at the front when Tiki was dropped off, and she had selflessly offered to pay. For it all! Thanks to her, Tiki was given a second chance, and was able to live there for a month. They called him ‘Neil’, before he was ever our Tiki. Before we knew it, it was time for him to come to what would become his forever home. He arrived for the first time at Good Dog, on October 10th, 2011.
To be continued….
Just when we couldn’t be more proud of our Lucas and his running skills, he surprises us with another monumental feat and makes us love him even more!
This year’s Mini Marathon took place Saturday, and Lucas finished the 13.1-mile course in 1:12, setting a HUGE personal record and confirming our suspicions that he might be part superhero. On top of that, he helped his dad beat a goal pace of 1:40 and qualify for the Boston Marathon.
All this from the blonde kid we’ve known since he was just a wee lad … In fact, here is some photographic evidence of our love for the little man. Congrats, Lucas!
This message is Tiki-approved.
Ok, so Tiki clearly isn’t a musician, and this isn’t a rockumentary about his trials and tribulations as a rockstar. (Although in our world, Tiki is definitely a rock god.) Actually, the blog title is an evil ploy to grab your attention and give you a glimpse into Tiki’s life. You may see him in our lobby, but we watch him behind the scenes. The more time we spend with Tiki in our homes, around our families and pets, the more we see his character. This story is just one illustration (of many) that should paint a picture for you.
In 2012, our manager Michelle adopted Glow the kitten, and Tiki was his first friend. Glow grew up with Tiki, often sharing the bed at our front desk or napping together in Michelle’s office. This was Michelle’s way of acclimating Glow to our Good Dog family of pups and humans, and our mascot took the job seriously. He is unrelentingly loyal, loving and helpful to his friends, especially the tiny white kitten.
Glow is now fully grown and doesn’t quite need Tiki’s brotherly protection. Among the Good Dog family of pets, the two are pretty much equals. On October 13, however, the dynamics shifted. A crafty little ninja, Glow managed to escape his yard and was struck by a car in front of his home. Thankfully a passerby saw him – battered and bruised but still alive – and called the numbers on his tag. Michelle rushed Glow to the ER, where he remained unable to move and in pain for days. The vets treated his injuries but were unsure whether he’d use his front left leg again.
Upon release from the hospital, Glow arrived at Good Dog in a laundry basket full of blankets and toys. Tiki unleashed a cry right from the start (one of his trademark part-goat, part-crybaby shrieks). But this wasn’t one of his customary pleas for attention. It could’ve been Glow’s inability to leave the basket, or maybe Tiki knew his friend was in pain. Either way, Tiki was clearly upset. He tried his best to gain closer access, scuffling anxiously around the office, yanking at various blankets and other obstacles, and throwing a minor hissy to protest the state of affairs.
Over the next few weeks, whether at home at work, Tiki rarely left Glow’s side. (And if he did, he’d check in often.) He was a regular fixture around his injured friend, sleeping on a makeshift bed at night and safeguarding their space during the day. With plenty of other dogs to play with, and plenty of other spots to sleep, this was the choice Tiki made. Pinky the pup would often drop in, checking on her kitty sibling and his protector.
Glow healed quickly and, thank goodness, began using his injured leg. While he still can’t jump on the couch, he’s back to taunting Charlie the cat and conducting other ninja-related business. Tiki is back to normal as well, but the incident struck us as interesting. Maybe Tiki remembered the pain of his own car accident and knew Glow was hurting. Or maybe he simply missed the rambunctious side of his BFF. Regardless, our little mascot rocked the role of caretaker when called upon. Just one of the many reasons we love him to pieces.
We’re happy to announce the newest (and tiniest) addition to our family …
Lucky Troy!
A week before Thanksgiving, our friend and co-worker Mary was driving home from church when she noticed a tiny speck in the middle of Troy Avenue. As soon as she had a chance to safely stop and turn around, she did – much to the surprise of her kids. When they asked why mom changed directions, she announced the need to investigate a little creature darting around busy traffic (which only elevated their excitement).
The speck was a very scared little dog, who was most certainly looking for help. As soon as Mary stopped and opener her door, he ran toward the car and jumped into her lap – as if he’d been looking for her all along.
The little man had no collar, no microchip, and some definite skin issues, but Mary and the kids immediately fell in love. After checking for lost pet ads, it became clear he was homeless and in need of a family. The first suggestion for his name was Hoggle (from the movie Labyrinth), but everyone decided Lucky Troy was more suitable.
After a visit to the vet for shots and some skin remedies, Lucky was estimated to be a Chihuahua mix (with adorably big ears) and about 6 or 7 years old. He bonded immediately with the kids and family cats, and spends most of his time at home “nudging” until someone snuggles with him, chewing on his toes, and lounging with the kitties.
At Good Dog, Lucky fits right in with his motley crew of brothers and sisters, and his aunts and uncles love him very much. When mom is taking care of hotel guests, Lucky monitors the kitchen and religiously follows Mary’s every move. (Adam is helping Mary and Lucky with some training and separation issues.) He also likes to play with the small kids in daycare, and he’s a very polite, sweet and social addition to the pack. We’re so glad Mary found him and gave him a happy home, and we feel “lucky” he’s part of our Good Dog family!
Summer is closing in on us and for the staff here at Good Dog that means new additions! Before holidays or the busy summer time we like to bring on new employees to help with the extra work load. I’m sure you have seen some new faces around as we brought on around 5 people before our spring break time for the hotel, daycare and even the front desk.
A love for all animals is a must when working here, our managers put a lot of thought into every new hire before they bring them on to our team. When you are hired at Good Dog you are brought in to a family. We go camping together, support each other at races, have birthday barbecues, pool parties and more! The dogs become an addition to our own family’s as well. We have pictures of them on our phones, share their stories at home, and come in on our days off just to snuggle a few.
Now if you have been coming here a long time I’m sure you know some of our veteran employees by name now!
There is Lucas who works up front with his blond curls you can see from a mile away. He has been with Good Dog working in daycare, hotel and now front desk for over 6 years now!
Mary started working for us back in September of 2007. She knows just about every dogs name and is always snapping pictures in daycare and hotel.
Rebecca is the “mom” to everyone here at Good Dog since she started working with us in 2008. She usually can be seen giving kisses to all the small dogs in daycare.
Jenny is our office manager and started with us six years ago where she has done hotel, daycare and now you can see her at the front desk.
Sam our facility manager started out in hotel over 7 years ago! He now makes sure the building is in good shape, everything is stocked and he even takes on our Sunday hotel grooming.
Then you have our excellent general manager Michelle who was with Good Dog before it even had walls in 2005. She started out in daycare and now keeps everyone in line, employees and dogs alike.
Now I may be a little biased, but I know our staff is top notch! The love and compassion everyone here has for the animals is amazing. Sixteen of our employees have been with us for over a year. With that kind of experience you know your getting the best care for your dog! Check out our website to read up on our new employees!
Ever wonder what happens during your dog’s grooming appointment? Or what kind of talent it takes to create that spiffy pooch ’do? Every year we like to do an annual “Groomer Roundup” so you can learn a little bit more about our groomers, an amazing trio of artists who work their tails off every day. In addition to doing some pretty physical work – like bathing a 200-pound Great Dane or brushing a big furry Newfoundland – they are each very artistic in their own way and have a big heart for dogs. Read on to find out more about Veronique, Marie and Delbert.
Veronique Brown (we call her V)
V graduated from the Animal Arts Academy in December 2011 and has been grooming full-time with Good Dog ever since. If you ask what her favorite breed is, she’ll smile and tell you every breed is her favorite. However, if you push her just a bit more, you’ll find out she’s the owner of an adorable pom named Simba, and an equally adorable and sassy dach-pom named Nala, so she has a soft spot in her heart for dachs and poms. If V could give one tip to dog owners, it would be to brush often — and start brushing early. The younger the dog is when you start brushing/grooming, the more they’ll love it and enjoy it. In addition, it stimulates their coat oils, makes them look prettier, prevents them from matting, and makes their grooming experience super easy. And finally, if you want to know a fun fact about V: she was born and raised in Belgium and is flying back there to visit her family at the end of March!
Marie Ryker
Marie, also a graduate of the Animal Arts Academy, has been grooming for six years and is a proud mom of a very cute 3-year-old, Sophia, who gets lots of attention when she visits Good Dog. An owner of 3 pups, Marie is an equal opportunity dog lover who has no favorites and is happy grooming pretty much any breed. She loves all animals and has actually worked with them most of her life, including assisting at veterinary hospitals. While grooming can sometimes be very challenging, Marie enjoys the difficult moments because it makes her feel as if she’s truly helping the dog. She believes that by making the dogs look better, it helps them feel better, and there is nothing else in the world she’d rather be doing. If she had one tip for dog owners, it would be brush, brush, brush! She recommends grooms or brushes every 4 to 6 weeks if possible, especially for long-haired doggies. A fun fact about Marie: She gets super excited about going to grooming seminars – it’s one of her favorite things to do. She loves learning about cool new products, new techniques, and creative new ideas.
Delbert Duncan
Delbert has been in the dog business for more than 25 years, and he even owned his own salon for 16. While Delbert doesn’t have a favorite breed, he has spent years showing and training Rottweilers, Australian Shepards and Miniature Schnauzers, and he has even trained several groomers who have gone on to become stars in the dog world. Making dogs feel better is really important to Delbert, which is just one reason why he’s great at his job. He recommends dog owners talk to their groomer as much as possible. He welcomes questions from his clients and can always give advice on the best way to brush and bathe your pets, and even how to dry them, to make the grooming experience easy and fun for owners. Fun fact: Delbert does a lot of volunteer work on the side, and he even donated some of his time to help with the Super Bowl. In addition, he loves gardening and can’t wait for this spring to roll around.
Our final devoted pup is Mr. Murphy!
Murphy is one big lovable Lab! He started coming to Good Dog just 10 days after we opened! His owners loved the proximity of Good Dog being only blocks from their home. Murphy has stuck with us for so long because they love the convenience of all our services we have to offer. Murphy takes full advantage of our daycare and grooming, plus he loves to spend the night here! Now if only we had a Vet on staff they would be set!
When Murphy is not hanging out with his pals in Daycare he is enjoying going on walks and eating! That’s right Murphy loves his food, like most labs it’s one of his favorite activities! That is right next to swimming, which he is lucky to have friends with a lake house where he spends plenty of time during the summer.
Murphy also has quite the collection of balls that he has claimed are his after neighbors brought them over and he popped them. He has several basketballs and footballs, but his favorite is a NBA basketball that he insists you throw when in the yard.
Whenever Murphy comes in he always runs right up to the front desk to see who is working and say HI, after that though he is straight to the daycare door! Murphy loves to come in for daycare once every couple of weeks. He also is a regular in our grooming room where he loves his Shed-X treatment. All that brushing really makes him feel good, plus he loves to help out the groomers and give a good shake to get rid of that extra hair! Every once and awhile Murphy’s owners will take a vacation and that means it’s Suite time! He loves to stand up on the door of his suite and watch the staff as they walk other dogs or feed them. He knows it will soon be his turn and he will get to go spend his whole day playing with a new batch of dogs!
The big man will be celebrating his 9th birthday next Friday on the 24th! You would never guess it though considering he still has the energy of a pup. His owners got him in April of 2003 from a small breeder in Shelbyville, IN. Murphy is one of those dogs who just instantly can put a smile on your face. He is so lovable, fun and everything a lab should be! Make sure to stop by and say Hi to Murphy when you are in. We promise his smile will make your day!
Portia and Ginger Barr
Meet Portia and Ginger Barr, the second installment of our series on Good Dog’s longest-standing customers!
Every once and a while you hear stories of dogs overcoming all obstacles, and this is another one of those stories! At just 10 weeks old, Portia and Ginger were found under the White River Bridge by cyclists. Severely malnourished, the dogs actually had gravel in their little tummies from trying to eat rocks. Luckily, mom and dad Barr heard about the two pups through a mass email, so they went to visit the little black lab now known as Portia. Once they saw the duo together, they couldn’t resist!
These two lovely ladies started visiting Good Dog in 2005. Portia and Ginger are both Lab mixes, and even though they don’t look similar, they are definitely litter mates! While the girls like to pretend they are 5, they’ll celebrate their 10th birthdays in May. Ginger is the outgoing sister who wants all the attention, so when Portia gets some lovin’, Ginger is sure to squeeze her way into the mix to garner some attention.
Portia and Ginger both adore coming to daycare. As soon as they get the chance, they stick their noses through the gate and wag their tails in unison. If you ask the Good Dog staff to describe them, it only takes one word: sweethearts!! They live up to their title by always being polite, patient and calm. Whenever it’s time to take pictures or put on leashes, they both behave exceptionally well. The girls also love getting treated to a groom every few weeks. Ginger likes baths more than her sister, but they both behave like princesses for the grooming team — Portia just does not want to get her pretty little toes wet! According to mom and dad, they come to Good Dog because of the cleanliness of the facility and, most importantly, because they feel comfortable leaving their dogs in our hands — something they still appreciate to this day!
Back at home, Portia usually mans the top of the stairs, where she can see the street from her window. When she’s not on guard, she runs around stealing socks and checks to see whether Ginger has conned someone into a treat. Ginger is a big fan of food, and she’ll search for any morsel she can find. She’s also a big fan of chasing outdoor critters and alerting everyone whenever a dog walks by her house. Both girls love to howl and are avid hikers … They hit the trails pretty often and have been on every path in Eagle Creek!
We’re so happy that Portia and Ginger are in such a loving home with two great parents — they deserve every minute of the happy and comfortable life they’re living. Everyone at Good Dog is absolutely head over heals for this pair. No matter what they visit for — a hotel stay, grooming appointment, or daycare (their favorite) — they’re always the sweetest! Thanks for sticking with us girls!
Grab some plastic eggs and put some milk bones or small snacks inside. You can add as many or as little as you would like, and for even more fun; you can hide them later and have doggie Easter egg hunt! 
