Becoming a Salty Dog

Many of Minnow’s adventures helped shape the dog she became, and one of our favorites began during her very first Christmas.

At just ten months old, Minnow traveled with us to Amelia Island, Florida, for her first experience with the ocean. Until then, her world of water had been lakes and rivers. The Atlantic was something entirely new.

Like any curious Toller, she charged right in.

She quickly discovered that biting ocean waves wasn’t quite the same as biting lake waves back home. One mouthful of salty water was all it took to realize the ocean wasn’t meant for drinking. She made the funniest face, shook it off, and went right back to playing.

Every morning became a little ritual. We’d walk over the dunes together, and as soon as she caught sight of the water, her whole body seemed to light up. She’d race to the shoreline, nose into the breeze, watching the endless waves roll in as if she couldn’t wait to see what the day would bring. Some dogs simply enjoy the beach. Minnow belonged there.

The wind in her fur, sand beneath her paws, the rhythm of the waves, and the joy of exploring beside the people she loved—It all seemed to awaken something in her. From that first trip on, she proudly earned the title of our little salty dog.

The beach wasn’t just another destination.

It became one of her happiest places, and one of ours too.