Saline’s Dogs Have Their Day — In Their Own Words

From classrooms to barbershops, gyms to farmers markets, Saline’s dogs are more than pets. They’re beloved members of the community with stories to tell. In this playful feature, I let the town’s four-legged residents speak for themselves, sharing their adventures, quirks, and favorite hangouts across Saline.

My biggest fans are Charlie and Ruby. Both rescues, Charlie is a 10-year-old lab/hound mix, and Ruby is an adult red coonhound. They love their walks, treats, warm beds, and belly rubs. This piece is dedicated to them.

Buddy Goes to School

First up, we’ll meet Buddy, a 10-year-old Golden Retriever. Here is his story.

“I was the last of two in a litter when mom and dad visited. Dad heard a trick that if puppies are held belly-up, the calm ones won’t wiggle. Imagine choosing a puppy based on that! Nonetheless, I liked them so much I decided not to squirm. It was super hard! But they picked me.”

“I got my therapy dog certification and now attend Saline High School with dad, who is a counselor. I help support students, and my favorite part of the day is greeting them before school starts.”

Before I could get in another word, Buddy decided to pose and roll belly up in front of the High School.

Buddie Focuses on Play and Affection

Next, we meet another Buddie at Mill Pond Dog Park. Buddie is a three-year-old golden retriever and says, “My family just moved here from Baltimore and have been looking for a park with water. We looked around, but it was clear I liked this park the best! I am in heaven.”

“My family says I am everyone’s ‘buddy.’  They take me on Sundays to the park. They also quickly learned that I am not motivated by treats. I focus on play-affection-play.” Making no bones about it, Buddie runs off to chase another ball.

Gibby – People’s Choice Award Winner 2025

We meet Gibby at the park as well. Gibby was the winner of The People’s Choice Award for Saline Dog of the Year 2025.

Gibby says she and her littermates were named after the Detroit Lions, but adds, “My mom and dad call me ‘Gibson’ when I’m naughty. I’m a shiba/husky mix, with maybe some pomsky. My mom and dad are part of the Hairy Houdini Siberian Husky rescue group, and after the interview process, they adopted me!”

Gibby explains, “When I’m happy, I bend my ears back. It’s a Shiba trait that my parents call ‘airplane ears’! My parents taught me how to jump, give smooches, sit, lay down, speak, high five, and shake.” Gibby happily goes through her dog-and-pony show and then poses prettily for her picture.

Luke, Abby and Penny – Helping You Get in Shape

We next find ourselves at Saline’s Body Shop to meet golden retrievers Luke, Abby, and Penny.

Luke is two and says, “Like a cat, I love to lie on the ledge. I follow people by the window with my tongue out, saying ‘Hi’.”

Abby is seven and says, “Mom and dad got me because they felt that they needed to raise puppies before they had children.”

Penny, who is one, adds, “Mom and dad didn’t want Abby to be alone, so they got me to keep Abby company. We play a lot.”

Luke, Abby, and Penny all chime in and say, “We are a distraction for clients during exercise. They talk to us and say, ‘Help me get through this.’ We offer inspiration and help them lose self-consciousness.” With that, they rush over to the door to greet visitors.

Chase and Aurora – A Cut Above

Next on our list is Bill’s Barber Shop, across the street from the Body Shop. If you go to Bill’s, you are surely acquainted with Chase and Aurora, who spend their days there.

“I’m Chase, an eight-year-old black lab. Sometimes I go by ‘foo’, but we won’t talk about that. I go everywhere with dad, even cool places like Alaska. I sit in the back of the truck and now Aurora has joined us.”

Aurora introduces herself by saying, “No one knows my age, but I’ve been with mom and dad a year now. Dad thinks Aurora is the weirdest name ever, and Mom calls me Rory for short. They also call me a ‘cool little dog’, and that makes me happy.”

Chase and Aurora get carrots for their time and return happily to their dog beds.

Dee-O-Gee is Blessed

We’re off to church next and visit the resident dog named ‘Dog’ or ‘Dee-O-Gee’ phonetically. “I am a young Bernese Mountain Dog and Poodle mix.  My mom is Pastor at First United Methodist, and she and Dad wanted a dog that could come to church and be involved in ministry as a therapy dog. I do like to bark when greeting, so they give me a stuffed bear to avoid that. Sadly, it doesn’t stop me from barking, I just do it now with my mouth full, so it’s softer.”  Perhaps we can offer Dee-O-Gee a prayer for soft barks.

Eeyore – King of the Farmer’s Market

Where to next? Why, the Saline Farmer’s Market, where Eeyore, a Staffordshire Terrier, is king. He is a rescue and has been with his family for eight years. Eeyore loves visiting the Farmer’s Market and likes David best “because he gives me treats. I also hang out at Carrigan Café, where I am considered their mascot. My family says I’m versatile, very friendly, and the worst guard dog.”  Nonplussed, Eeyore trots off looking for David.

Bocephus and Harry – Living the Good Life

Last of all, we go to Harry’s Automotive and meet up with Bocephus and Harry.

Bocephus is an eight-year-old Newfoundland. He loves playing with Chase at Bill’s Barber Shop and shares a story. “One day, Dad drove to the barber shop, and I saw Chase. I decided to jump out the window, cross the street, and just waltz into the barber shop.” With extra drool for emphasis, he proudly says, “They don’t know how I squeezed my big self through the half-opened window, and I’m not sharing my secret.”

Harry, a seven-year-old Golden Retriever, is a descendant of Charlie, the same Charlie of the book ‘Gas Station Charlie,’ a celebrity after being featured on CNN, Animal Planet, and local TV stations.

I asked Harry how he lives in the shadow of Charlie’s fame. Harry looks around for a ball and says, “I’m perfectly content to come with Dad to Harry’s Automotive and just hang out.” Evidently, Harry sees no need to be top dog.

Dog-Gone

I hope you enjoyed meeting some of Saline’s dogs. Say hi if you see them around town and enjoy Saline’s parks if you have a canine. Who’s a good dog?

-Curtiss Dog Park is located at 440 West Michigan Avenue

-Mill Pond Dog Park is located at 565 West Bennett Street