Meet Hazel and Willow, Bernese Mountain Dogs and housemates of D’Ann and Doug Rhoda at their lovely home on Grand Park Drive. Hazel (8 ½) was adopted from a now-retired breeder in Eaton, Colorado, while Willow (3) is a rescue via the National Bernese Mountain Dog Rescue Network. Both Berners, as this wonderfully docile and self-assured breed is known, feature the distinctive black coat with brown and white markings on their chest, face and paws.

 

Hazel was the second Berner for the Rhodas and a typical 90 pounds. Willow is an atypical 55 pounds, a result of confinement in a small cage early in her life on an Iowa farm, an abusive situation which means she’s still “trying to figure things out,” as D’Ann notes about Willow’s now-better life with a loving family.

 

Fortunately, Willow has an excellent role model in Hazel, who’s affectionate with the whole family. She’s a practitioner of the Berner hug, leaning into you when petted, and usually sits at or on D’Ann’s feet at the couch or desk. Like most Berners who have no awareness of one’s personal space, Hazel especially seems to have no concept of her size and is always found in the middle of the kitchen floor when D’Ann is cooking, keeping an eye on the process while blocking the route to the refrigerator. Willow has been with the Rhodas for less than a year and requires a lot of patience to trust them, but is warming up gradually and, like her ‘big sister’, is a very endearing girl.

 

Both dogs love to eat anything they’re offered, particularly Himalayan yak bones, bison bones and Trader Joe’s peanut butter-flavored dog treats. All Doug has to do is shake the treat jar and both dogs come running, at least the best they can without sliding cartoon character-like on the wood floor, which is to be expected of Berners, not the most graceful of house pets.

 

Most Berners are sweet, lovable goofballs, and Hazel and Willow are no exception. They hear the garage door open and are ready to provide a bright greeting at the end of a long day, with Hazel always grabbing a toy to offer as a ‘present’. Hazel has mastered the usual canine commands of sit, shake and down, and will even put her toys back in their basket when told to do so. Willow is still learning Hazel’s tricks, but already has ‘looking refined’ down pat as she crosses her paws while lying down.

 

Both dogs, needy for attention, have set schedules about which they remind the Rhodas by bumping their arms to get what they want. And of course D’Ann and Doug accommodate, or, as a friend of theirs says, when she dies she wants to come back as one of the family’s dogs because they’re so spoiled. This friend no doubt was also aware that Hazel certainly enjoyed her stay some time ago at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, where she acted like she owned the place. Further evidence of being spoiled, Hazel and Willow get two walks every day, rain or shine, hot or cold, although, true to their heritage, they really enjoy snowy weather. Despite their formidable size however, they definitely don’t like thunder or even wind.

 

Stroll Harmony welcomes Hazel and Willow Rhoda to the community, and we’re happy that ‘little sister’ Willow is now with a loving family!