February 15, 2019
Acorn Ridge is easily ranked as one of my personal favorites!
The size and space of Acorn Ridge alone is a puppy loving vloggers paradise. They have a great laid-back feel and even a set up of lemon bars, sweet tea, and foosball in the entry room for their guests. All that aside, I am way more excited to meet the stars of my newest vlog, the dogs that call Acorn Ridge their home.
Just imagine it, walking through a massive doorway and there they are… fuzzy Golden retrievers, floppy excitable Labs, and a myriad of colored poodles that are eagerly awaiting head pats, belly rubbings and boops. For those of you at home, you know there’s no better feeling than walking in the front door and having an excited dog that’s been waiting on you… their favorite human. And while they may have never met me before, the doggos of Acorn Ridge love meeting guests, which they do frequently as an integral key to their socialization. After politely asking to step inside, I’m struck by the sheer size of the individual kennels, even at 5”10 my wingspan alone isn’t enough to reach side to side. A golden named “Goldilocks” immediately rushes me and in two seconds flat I’m being smothered by kisses and struggling to balance my camera.
Best. Feeling. Ever.
After capturing a few meet and greets with the happy citizens of Acorn Ridge, I’m on my way to the nursing areas to meet the newest and tiniest members of the kennel. I wash my hands and arms thoroughly, (these are babies after all!) and gently approach the new liters. Puppers as young as 2 weeks old, that have yet to even open their eyes, squeak and roll about as my heart melts into a puddle. The pups as old as 6-7 weeks old are full of energy and giving their mom a thorough run for her money. Thankfully, each nursing area is equipped with a lifted area for new moms to get their fair share of “me time.” I can only imagine her relief when I stepped in, allowing the rambunctious puppies to have a shiny new source of entertainment. Meanwhile, all the moms, while very friendly floofs, kept a close watch on their precious pups. As you can imagine, greeting young puppies is always a joy, but the socialization yard is where the real work starts for our team. Acorn Ridge has three yards, and you guessed it…we got to film in all of them!
As it’s still early, this is the adults first release of the day, so I try to prepare myself for the intense cardio I’m about to do, check you later treadmill! But I quickly found out that if you think you can outrun a Golden Retriever…you’re wrong. So wrong. As seven Goldens rush the field, it’s go time! Tire chews, tennis balls, and ropes are all claimed within seconds, the bright sunshine overhead making this day one for the books.
We spent over three hours filming Acorn Ridge and by the end of it, I had plenty of laughs and my fair share of exercise. Acorn Ridge provides a warm, welcoming feeling to all that come to play and has an authentic atmosphere of pure joy. This facility was not only pristine, but quite heartwarming as the people, pups and guests are all in the perfect harmony that only life with animals can truly provide.