Ernie Boudreaux, Our Chief Executive Dog

Meet Ernie Boudreaux, our CED. If you have boarded at the Doggie Dude Ranch before, there’s a good chance you’ve met him–or that he has rushed up to the parking lot to me you. Ernie is five years old. He looks 100% hound dog. Actually, his mother was a full-blooded Golden Retriever; dear ‘ol Dad was some kind of coon or red-tick hound that was just passing through. As a puppy, Ernie was very cute. Two things were evident early on: he was very smart and he had BIG feet. Big feet in a puppy means BIG dog and Ern now weighs a lean 125 pounds. He loves to hunt in the woodlots and fields around Doggie Dude Ranch and uses his hound dog nose very effectively. He accompanies all our boarders on their leased walks down to the creek. He also has amazing eyesight for a dog. He’s the only dog we’ve ever had ( … and God knows, we’ve had some dogs …) that watches birds as they fly overhead. As a pup he would chase butterflies across the yard.

Speaking of smart, he’s also the only dog we’ve ever had that reads the morning paper with his coffee. (Keeping up with current events is important to all of us here at DDR)

Ernie Boudreaux reading the Times.

Great Story, Great Storyteller

by Garth Stein

I started this book last year and didn’t really grab hold of it for other distractions.  I’m so glad I picked it up again this winter as I traveled through the snow storms from airport to airport.  If you’ve ever wondered if your dog(s) has a clue what you’re going through, this story will make you think twice about the cocked heads and intense looks.  A season of life of mechanic/car-racer, Denny,  is described by Enzo, his faithful dog, as it unravels before the dog’s very eyes.  Not ever forgetting that the dog is telling the tale as he is a player therein, I could easily understand his perceptions and insights.  A great story of humor, sorrow, and real life hard stuff that makes us grunt and sigh and moan, and maybe even growl at times.  I’ll never forget Enzo, and I’ll always wonder what story my dog would tell……….

The Dog Chapel

A great gift, a great place

We received this book as a Christmas gift.  Love, Joy (the leash), Trust, Play –simple explanations of how dogs heal our lives.    The actual chapel in St. Johnsbury, Vermont memorializes Stephen’s three dogs in the decor, including a golden-winged retriever signature weathervane.   Mr. Huneck’s vision of having a place for  dogs to visit and be remembered at lives on.  Stephen is no longer with us but his wife carries on the dream at Dog Mountain, we enjoyed the book and have already begun to memorialize our late canines for the Rembrance Wall at the chapel…..

Snow boarding at DDR

Well, sort of . . .  dog boarding in the snow, that is. As you probably know–if you’ve looked outside in NW Arkansas–there is a record amount of snow on the ground. Garrett Lewis, the KFSM meteorologist says we received 3 years worth of snow in just 4 hours! At Doggie Dude Ranch we measured 13 inches; that is on top of what was left over from the previous week’s snow & ice. Others in the area measured up to 2 feet of snow. We also experienced a new Arkansas record low temperature of -18 F. (But the kids in the Bunk House were okay because of heaters, and because of pains we took insulating it during construction 2 and a half years ago.)

Ernie Boudreaux and the rest of the crew at DDR are carrying on anyway with great abandon! That’s the whole idea of guilt-free boarding at DDR–this is not punishment, it’s a dog vacation. We had to shovel out some paths for our four-legged visitors to get around in the yard, especially those with short legs. Here are some photos of a few of the fellas & fellerettes playing in the snow:

Ernie Boudreaux and Evie snow dancing

 

Missy: "Follow me, boys!"

Nadine & Mason gettin' some air time!

Lieu and Nadine--canine snow plows.

Lean on me ... when you're not strong.

Winnie, Julie, and little Oriole take to higher ground.

And through it all, Ernie Boudreaux’s Doggie Dude Ranch carries on–it’s just another season for us. Maybe it’s time to give your pooch(s) a break from being shut up at home and come play with some pals at DDR!

DDR and Adopting

Doggie Dude Ranch is now helping dogs find new homes!  Sometimes life throws us into a pickle and circumstances cause people to have to find new homes for their dogs.  We are able to help.  Call today to find out if your dog would qualify for our adoption program.  $150 minimum fee,  and we do all the work to make sure your dog gets a good home.  479-643-2622

Doggie Dude Ranch is now offering adoption services to owners who need to find new homes for their dogs. Lola was a sweet chihuahua-shepherd mix. She needed a family and back yard. We found one! Congrats to Andy and his family for rehoming Lola.

 

 

Recent Visitors

Princess is taking a rest on the couch.

Nikki Six is visiting while her owner Elk hunts. We've seen lots of deer here.

Here are a couple of our recent visitors – Nikki Six and Princess. As you can see, we just got done playing and they were taking a break. We have access to acres and acres of fields to take fun nature walks and do some exploring. They also stay outside and play most of the day. They become friends easily – it’s quite fun to be apart of!

If you’re interested in coming our to the ranch, or know of someone, look at our website: www.doggieduderanchboarding.com.

Fall is in Full Swing

Beale

We had a busy weekend. Loved the dry fall weather. Here’s Beale after a nature walk.

Don’t forget about planning your holidays right now. Space fills up FAST! Check out our website to get all the information you need.