Dog Savvy LLC

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Dog Savvy LLC

Dog Savvy LLC Providing a tactful approach to pet care in Grand Rapids, MI. Where your pet's physical and emotional needs are treated as one.

Offering dog walking, overnight care, and drop-in visits for all species
🐕🐈🦔🦜🦎🐟🦕

VSA-CDT | CPDT-KA

24/02/2025

Part III of III

The precise moment I reached the squares of sidewalk in front of her house, on my way to say "hello" and "goodbye" to Zo for the final time on Wednesday, a hawk flew in from my right, and soared up to a tree to my left. Mere feet from my face. I decided it was a sign. To hell with coincidence. I say it was her spirit animal posting up nearby, preparing to lead her on to the next chapter in The Life of Zooey.

It seems fitting for a fiery dog like Zooey. To be a hawk, or a falcon, or an eagle. I'll think of her all the time, for the rest of time. Like all the dogs I've loved and lost over the years.

I loved you so much, Zo. Thanks for making life so interesting and leading me to this little house I call a home, the neighborhood I call my community, and a job that's become a career. I'll see you again soon 🦅

I went back in the archives of Google Photos and Snapchat to find as many memories and moments that I could. I love seeing her in front of the old mural on Lyon st vs the repainted version. And all the beautiful summer flowers, fall colors, white snowfall, and regular ol' dreary backdrops of these memories. She was smiling in all of them, even on the rainy walks. And the many, many photos and videos of her voluptuous b***y and swishy, pom-pom tail. That thing was mesmerizing. It had me smiling through the tears going through years and years of Zooey photos and seeing so many of just her cute butt.

🦅 🕊

24/02/2025

Part II out of III

She's the dog that sewed two very important humans into the fabric of my life. Humans who are, without question, the best landlords, neighbors, and friends a person could hope for. She's the dog that taught me so much about patience. Particularly toward siblings, when they're walking twice as slow as you, or barking 10 times as loud. Lou was half her age and 3 times as slow. She beguilded me onward, regardless of the time, toward the neighborhood cookie bin. It's always worth being late in the name of cookies. Or an extra trip to the water fountain at Midtown Park.

Zo was not the kind of dog to take it easy. She hurled herself off diving boards, mouth open into the waterfall, and paw over paw down the sidewalk in spite of her busted toe, or bad knees, or uncomfortable tumor. I know dogs tend to hide their pain, but Zooey truly said "F**k it" to her ailments, and forged onward like the fierce force of nature she embodied each and every day.

🦅 🕊

24/02/2025

Part I

Empty.
Is the space behind your "fence window." Where you aimed keen eyes and a sharp nose beyond the confines of your yard, and I looked for you each and every time I drove by.

Quiet.
Is Innes St where your distinguished bark prevailed, and I smiled when you and your brother's dramatic discussions echoed through our neighborhood.

Still.
Are our hearts contending with the ineffable loss of your ninja kisses and bushy-tailed greetings and piercing blue stares that pleaded for that mutual affection from Your People.

Zooey left this world on Wednesday. Leaving a great deal of grief behind in my heart and an unimaginable weight for her parents and brother Lou. It feels raw and impossible to give voice to the multitude of ways this dog - this one, crazy, spunky, uninhibited, nut of a dog - influenced my life in facets beyond just my career.

I was gifted just shy of 7 years to know and love all that was Zooey. Zo-zo. Bo-bo. Zo-thang. Bubba. The dog who gifted me the notoriously abrupt muzzle punch to my face during our first encounter on May 10th, 2018.

Zooey swiftly recategorized me from the initial "Stranger" status to her mental rolodex of "Friends" in those mere 45 minutes together. Throughout the years, she was a felonious poop-eater, a dog with more personality than half the humans on this planet, a fanatic for water in all it's forms (note that her ma and pa made her a fountain🤍) and a creature that, understandably, attracted regular attention from the public - but wanted none of it. She radiated fairytale-like beauty and sported the most dazzling, hypnotic, and wonky blue eyes. She saw no need to franternize with unfamiliar faces. Zo preferred they remain well outside her personal bubble, in all honesty. Especially if they were on wheels, or running, or small and loud, or furry with 4 legs, or wearing a mail carrier uniform, and so on.

Part II in the next post...

🦅 🕊

15/02/2025

Part 3 - Happy Valentines Day to all my loves! ❤️

You're the entirety of the thing I'm lucky enough to call my career. Thank you, Pawrents, for allowing me to be a small part of your dog's routine and doing what I love each day. They each bring me so much joy!

And make for the best, and most memorable, photos ☺️

-Ps- This one has a few from my days with Nature of the Dog. The company that nurtured and inevitably cemented this passion for me. Combining my love for the outdoors and my endless fascination and adoration for dogs was a no-brainer. It introduced me to humans and dogs that changed the course of my life and brought me insight, friendship, fulfillment, and purpose.

15/02/2025

Part 2 - Happy Valentines Day to all my loves! ❤️

You're the entirety of the thing I'm lucky enough to call my career. Thank you, Pawrents, for allowing me to be a small part of your dog's routine and doing what I love. They each bring me so much joy!

And make for the best, and most memorable, photos ☺️

15/02/2025

Part 1 - Happy Valentines to all my loves! ❤️

You're the entirety of the thing I'm lucky enough to call my career. Thank you, Pawrents, for allowing me to be a small part of your dog's routine. They each bring me so much joy!

And make for the best, and most memorable, photos ☺️

05/02/2025

Just a couple of cuties patiently waiting for their scheduled Backyard Crazy Time.

The zoomies were next level yesterday. Tucker ran so fast that he reached jowl-bending speeds 🤣

05/02/2025

Look at Birdie with her beautiful haircut 🩷 she got it last week, but I'm still swooning over those gorgeous brown eyes of hers!

Also, leave it to this girl to try and play in the creek when it's 20°... girl, stop, you crazy.

25/12/2024

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all! Did your dog make the nice list? Or the naughty one? 😂 Ripley managed to get on both!

Mom underestimated her capabilities and didn't put her stack of goods far enough back on the counter... This stack included a 9×13 glass dish half filled with rice crispy treats. And, a tupperware of homeade chocolate chip cookies and dog cookies. Dog cookies I spent many, many hours making and carefully frosting for you, my amazing clients..

Sooo, if you haven't received your usual end-of-the-year gift from me, that cute face is to blame. Rest assured, I'll have your dogs' delicious, belated christmas gifts delivered sometime in the next week. After I remake the ones this adorable gremlin ate.

Enjoy the rest of your holiday and treat your dogs, whether naught or nice, to something sweet today!

14/12/2024

A few stills from yesterday's sunny shenanigans!

14/12/2024

Luna! You sound possessed 🤣 I'm going to assume (hope🙏) the neighbors are familiar with your crazy play noises by now. She is the tug queen. My arms get half the workout playing tug with my twice-as-heavy pitbull. Luna's little size is deceiving!

Also, after over a year of gradual introductions and sitting, Luna has finally solicited pets from me 🥰😍 It was such a treat! I was sitting by the fireplace when she came over, tail wagging, to sniff my face. Then, she turned away and angled her butt toward me with an unexpected "please pet me" face - one that I've never seen her give before. Seeing Luna melt to the floor for belly rubs was the greatest gift.

I paused every few pets to check that she was still enjoying the attention. I love that look of "excuse me, but it appears you've stopped petting me. Please, carry on."

Enjoy all the snuggles, belly scratches, and games of fetch with your dogs this weekend. I'm home after a long week of cold walks and dog sitting, so Ripley will be my #1 client for a few days ❤️

13/12/2024

Some dogs love the snow 🥰

Others... well, not so much 🤣

*ahem* Miss Mabel...

13/12/2024

These two finally had their moment today.

After weeks of "awkward" walks, where they both seemed mildly uncomfortable with one another, I was getting ready to stop walking Tucker and Betty together. After all, my walks serve to lower your dog's stress, not add to it.

It didn't make sense because, on paper, these two seemed like such a great fit! Their energy levels, interests, the whole shebang. And yet, there were odd moments of stiffness and avoidance between the two. Which is odd for Tucker, a dog who typically finds quick comfort in every dog I introduce him to. And Betty, a very respectful, indifferent gal! I was missing something...

Welp, after asking a few questions, I learned Tucker has had negative experiences with a red/amber coated dog in the past, to no fault of his own. Dogs are perfectly capable of becoming sensitized to certain breeds or looks of dogs that they've had a single, or multiple, bad experience with. Then, I remembered another dog Tucker had unexplainable issues with, who was also a gentle, sweet, and AMBER COATED dog!

💡Cue lightbulb moment💡

With my new hypothesis, I decided to change the picture today. I put one of my spare dog coats on Betty to change how she looked and smelled and used Adaptil on their bandanas. What ensued was vastly different from how they interacted before. After weeks of Betty and Tucker ignoring one another and avoiding each other's space, I was shocked to see them now invading it-

With invitations to run, flirtatious play bows, stick offerings, and curious sniffs. It brought me so much joy to see these two finally, truly, meet and get to know each other. I think they're on their way to sharing the playful, enriching friendship I imagined they would!

06/12/2024

It's safe to say everyone has enjoyed the snow so far! For some, it ignites major sillies, and I'm here for it. 🫶 Zoom on, little ones. Zoom on.

05/11/2024

You'll catch me around town sporting a new patch on my treat pouch! Courtesy of 🥰

It was originally on a baseball cap, which, if you know me, is the kind of hat I wear morning to sunset outside of winter. The only problem is that the hat was white... as a self-proclaimed nature enthusiast and one who is notoriously clumsy with food and has perpetual "treat hands," this was a problem. I had two options: die it, or cut the patch out and sew it onto something else. This was the perfect solution! Something you'll never catch me dog walking without 😊 I'm very happy with it! Maybe I ought to get a custom-made Ripley patch... or finally make a real logo for my business.. 🤔

02/11/2024

I hope your Howl-ween was a hoot! May all your pups, scared or brave, walk easy now that the novel lawn creatures are retired for the season.

What a great time to socialize your dog to sudden, strange stimuli, though! Not everyone got cozy with their neighbors Halloween display this month... but most of my weary friends did. Or at the very least, all decor but the talking or moving ones. They just too scary!

Photo challenge: Can you find the horror movie themed easter egg that I edited in to one of the 10 pictures? Let me know in the comments if you do. First person with the correct movie character wins the validation that they're a winner!

01/11/2024

Happy Friday! Unleash your inner Mabel this weekend.

Today was the first time I've walked her on the long line, and it went exactly as I hoped 🥰 endless zoomies and Mabel Crazies!

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