Written by Kristene Smuts, owner of Gone to the Dogs
Professional photography by Karen Smit Photography
What a wonderful day it was for Asher to spend with us! She’s such a sweetie-pie.
As an advertiser on Asher’s Happy Tale, after reading her story, we wanted her to have a day with us to try and make up for her trials and tribulations – just a small gesture of support for what she and her new family had gone through.
A happy memory
Asher had a great day. Her mom, Tamsyn Meyer, was quite happy for my dogs, Xindi and Whiskey, to meet Asher, which provided so many wonderful photo opportunities. Despite having grown up in kennels, Asher is a brave young lady who’s keen to take on any obstacle – she even managed to lose sight of mom occasionally without an issue.
Unfortunately, storms were predicted for the afternoon, so we had to keep an eye on the weather. This didn’t permit having the shells out for swimming, but we know that Asher is going to have no problem with the sea when they move to Cape Town soon. Go, team Asher!
Although she couldn’t spend the whole day with us, we hope that she’ll carry the memory of her day with us to her new home and remember it with fondness.
Giving back
Although Gone to the Dogs is a business, we also care deeply about the welfare of animals in general, but particularly dogs and cats. We actively look for ways we can give back to shelter dogs and rescues with some of our time and space, and Asher fit the bill perfectly!
Our aim with the facility is to provide dogs the opportunity to enjoy a safe space that has plenty of things to do – obstacles, sniffing and digging, splashing in shell pools – and a room dedicated to them that they can use at their leisure, with a bed and couches, should they wish to have some rest or just get away for some quiet time.
Because we know that there are many dogs that don’t do well in a group situation, for whatever reason, we’ve created the space where these dogs can enjoy some time off-leash knowing that they’re the only ones there. When an owner books the space, it’s for them and only them – no other dogs are allowed in. Boarding is focused on providing a homely atmosphere, so the dogs sleep inside and not in kennels; they’re swopping one family for another so that they don’t stress too much about being away from their home environment.
Thank you, Tamsyn, for making the time to bring Asher for the day, and I wish you and your family a wonderful time in your new home by the sea.
Tamsyn adds…
What a fantastic day Asher had at Gone to the Dogs. It’s a wonderful safe, secure environment for dogs to have a fun day out (even if they aren’t completely socialised) – you can book the venue hourly. What a great idea!
Asher loved playing in all the obstacles and had so much fun exploring. There’s so much for dogs to do.
Kristene is passionate about animals and has taken the utmost care to have a secure environment for them to have free rein to roam, but not too far out of view so you can’t keep an eye of your precious dog/s. With the comfortable setting for dog parents to relax in while the dogs have a ball, I’d highly recommend Gone to the Dogs.
Thank you Kristene and Gone to the Dogs for Asher’s amazing day!
