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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.

I worked out, I trained, I carbo-loaded (Ok, mostly I just carbo-loaded), all so I could participate in Mutt Strut 2014. It’s not only The Greatest Spectacle in Dog Walking, it’s Indy Humane’s biggest fundraiser for our shelter pups and kitties, so I just had to offer my support! This was my first year participating and it exceeded all expectations. Four members of my Good Dog fam accompanied me, plus my bestie Millie, the Good Dog daycare queen. Here are a few of my memories from the event … Enjoy!
Love,
Tiki

This is the first in our series spotlighting Good Dog staff dogs.






Name: Bigsby Jones House-McCracken
A.K.A: Bigs, Mr. Jones
Genetics: Pug-Pekinese mix (Peek-a-Pug)
Story:
Adopted by Brittany (front desk) through a pet adoption website.
Runt of the litter, born not breathing.
Brought back to life, most definitely a fighter.
Overcame an aggressive mast cell tumor this summer.
OMG: Must always sleep under covers, with chin resting on pillow.
Celebrity Doppleganger: Nicholas Brendan (Xander from Buffy the Vampire Slayer), because he is silly and nerdy, but brave when he has to be.
Fave Spot @ GD: The kiddie bed in the “littles” section.
Theme Song: “Daydream” by The Lovin’ Spoonful.



Name: Babette Elaine House-McCracken
A.K.A: Babs, Chug-a-lug-a-choo-choo-train
Genetics: Pug-Chihuahua mix (Chug)
Story:
Adopted through Daisy Mae Pet Rescue as “shy” little sis for Bigsby Jones.
Turned out to be a very sassy, not-so-shy sis to Bigsby Jones.
OMG: Either sounds like a pigeon or a grizzly bear, depending on mood. Loves to greet you by jumping straight up vertically into your arms.
Celebrity Doppleganger: Arya Stark, Games of Thrones, because she is a tiny little thing, but tough as nails.
Fave Spot @ GD: The kiddie bed in the “littles” section.
Theme Song: “These Boots are Made for Walkin” by Nancy Sinatra.


 






Once upon a time, there was a very beautiful princess named Pinky. She was a sassy princess, with big floppy ears, tri-colored fur and an obsessive-compulsive love of tennis balls. She spent most of her days running a very big doggie daycare, and at night she ruled her royal family (2 cats, 3 dogs and a frequent visitor named Tiki).


One day, Princess Pinky was playing in her backyard kingdom, per usual, when she spotted a tiny intruder. Being a very proud and protective princess, she immediately seized it … which did not sit well with the trespasser (aka a stray baby bunny). As screams and squeals came from the bunny’s mouth, loud enough for the queen to hear, Pinky proudly strutted to the back door of her castle. Upon showing her trophy to the queen, she was promptly (and poignantly) told to “drop it,” which she did.


The sweet princess hadn’t hurt the bunny, but she certainly scared the bejesus out of it. Fortunately the queen loved animals, so she scooped up the hare, calmed its anxiety, and placed it in a big fluffy box. Unsure of what to do, the queen raced to her big doggie daycare to devise a plan … and several royal subjects took this opportunity to pet and adore and love the bunny. After lots of searching and many phone calls, a lovely little kingdom named Avian Animal Clinic accepted the bunny, where they patched a tiny scrape on its ear, provided some necessary care, and released it back into a safe habitat – where it lived happily (and safely) ever after.


By Sammy and Mandy, authors extraordinaire


Dearest friends,

Once upon a time, I was homeless, friendless and in search of a better life. Today, my silly little existence is the stuff of dreams. Not only do I have a big happy family and fancy corporate job, I have magical friends who overwhelm me with generosity and love … This letter is a thank-you to those folks.

My 5th(ish) birthday was yesterday, but you gave me an entire week of love and attention. You spoiled me rotten with birthday treats, played Pin the Teeth on Tiki, and made me feel loved beyond belief. Even though I was a fussypants for pictures, you endured my wiggles and showered me with kisses. Most of all, you brought donations for shelter dogs daily, so now all those pups have new food, treats, toys and blankets, which makes me super-duper happy!

So I want to thank you – not just for the birthday love and donations, but for visiting me every day, bringing in your very special dogs, and being part of my life. I couldn’t ask for better friends, and I can’t wait to spend another year with you!

Sincerely,
Tiki Taco



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!









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.

So I’ve got huge news for everyone: I just celebrated a pretty big milestone with Good Dog. Believe it or not, it’s been six glorious months since I swooped in and graced this place with my presence. That’s six months of new friends, treats, front-desk naps, belly rubs, barking, playing, more naps … I just can’t believe how much I’ve learned since my first day here! Actually, the information I stuff into my little doggie brain every day can get pretty overwhelming, but one thing always remains clear: I most definitely own this place!



To give you a glimpse into my management style, as well as some of the changes I’ve implemented during my tenure here, I’ll need to walk you through a day in my life – and let me tell you, it’s a busy day. First things first, I always strut into the lobby just before we open, usually after spending the night with someone from my Good Dog family. Those nights are crazy fun, by the way. You might see me taking a lot of naps at the front desk, but when I’m home with one of the family dogs, I’m an out-of-control noise machine. My playing style can be likened to a chubby Tazmanian devil who runs out of breath pretty quickly but keeps playing until he passes out from complete exhaustion.



Sleepovers aside, most of my work day is spent manning the front desk, where you’ll find me greeting your dogs and occasionally getting sassy with the big guys (some say it’s because I have an inferiority complex about my size, but whatevs). What you might not know, however, is that I often pop into daycare for quality-control inspections. I keep the daycare staff on their toes by making lots of unnecessary noise, and I mingle with the dogs to ensure everyone is getting enough water, toys, playtime and attention. Honestly, I love my mingling time, especially when I get to rub elbows with celebs. Just the other day, Blue 2 and I were discussing Butler’s basketball prospects for this year … we think it should be a fantastic season.






Last but not least, there’s my daily stroll through the Hotel and One-on-One Room. Mostly I just check to see what movie is playing in the hotel, and then I make sure all room-service orders have been delivered (I can’t live without my peanut-butter Kong during overnight stays). Since I don’t want to interrupt another dog’s one-on-one time, I might only peep in to check on things. It’s fun to see dogs getting love and treats from Mr. David. If I’m ahead of schedule, I might take some time to listen to his oldies music and cut a little rug while I’m there.



Really, there’s only one thing I don’t like about running the show at Good Dog: this job requires me to stay clean and presentable. That means a bath or groom every other week, which I consider to be a grave injustice. I protest this injustice in several ways, first with some simple wailing and screaming during haircuts and nail trims. But the really big show takes place afterward, just so everyone knows how truly miffed I am. My post-bath demonstrations are pretty simple — I tear through the lobby like a banshee, jump on multiple chairs, burrow into each one to wipe away the cleanliness, give puppy eyes to anyone watching, and cry a bit for attention. These protests haven’t really kept me from getting baths, but they have been caught on video. If you want to check out my after-bath behavior, click here… I promise you’ll be entertained.



Regardless of my post-groom behavior, my overall management skills must be effective because my customers and employees are always giving me lots of positive reinforcement. And being popular has earned me a slew of nicknames, most of which I don’t understand. I’ve been referred to as Teekster, Tiki Monster, Tiki Tock, Tiki Torch, Tiki Taco, Troublemaker, Monkey, Chunkey Monkey, and Bubbles. The only negative feedback I ever receive always pertains to my breath, but that really isn’t my fault. I mean have you ever met a dog with minty fresh breath?? Oh, and there was one more thing … Someone once thought my underbite was a sign of aggression — like I was showing my teeth in anger — but we all know that’s not the case. Unfortunately I don’t have a lot of control over these things protruding from my jaw. It’s more of a dental issue than a sign of aggression.




So that’s the lowdown on Good Dog. It’s been a great six months, and we’re only expecting things to get better and better. The mood around here has been positively joyful since I arrived, and I hope our customers are equally happy. Remember, I give my stamp of approval on pretty much everything that happens around here, so if you ever have any suggestions, comments or feedback, just let me know and I’ll make sure to stay on top of it.

Hugs and kisses,
Tiki

 

We’re all about family here at Good Dog, so when one of our nearest and dearest makes a big career move, we like to celebrate it and spread the news. This year, one of our veteran front-desk staffers graduated from Carmel’s Animal Arts Academy and became the newest addition to our grooming team.

Veronique Brown — known around here as “V” — joined Good Dog in November 2009 and has worked the front desk since January 2010. V is fantastic with animals, but last year she decided to combine her love of dogs with her artistic side and enrolled in the academy, Indiana’s only state-accredited school for grooming. After lots of studying and training, she passed her courses with flying colors and started grooming part-time at Good Dog.

 

V quickly took to the trade and is now a full-timer. Considering the fantastic display of canines we see every day, she has already sharpened her skills on some intricate and unusual breeds, including Barrett the giant schnauzer (above). Her happiest moments are when a dog owner is pleased with her work, but she also loves seeing dogs in the bathtub – there’s something about a wet soapy pup that makes her smile.

 

The job did throw her a few surprises at first … one being the level of physical activity involved in each groom, another being the massive amount of trust required from the dogs (something V holds very dear). It’s not surprising when you consider the tools and noises involved in even the simplest haircut, so her goal is to build long-term relationships with her clients – that way, each time they visit, they become more and more comfortable with the process.

 

At home, V is the proud momma of Simba the pom and Nala the dach-pom mix, and wife to Kevin. Dogs have always been a permanent fixture in her life – one of her very first memories was being “kissed” by her family’s giant German Shepherd in her home country of Belgium. Like everyone else at Good Dog, she can’t imagine her life without dogs. She’s incredibly thankful she found the perfect career, and equally thankful for her trainers at the academy: certified master groomer Barb Ellery, her son Kevin Stewart and his wife, Kristie.

 

We’re so very proud of V’s newfound talent and feel lucky to have her as part of our family. You can take a look at some of her work below. And if you ever have any questions about grooming, feel free to call talk to any of our groomers the next time you’re in for a visit. Or you can call us at 317.255.2525 and we’ll do our best to chat with you about the fine art of dog grooming!