By Bolt & Dash 🐾🐾
Hi friends! We’re Bolt and Dash, two small but mighty Chihuahua mixes, and we’re here to give you the inside scoop (from floor level) on why staying at Deer Run Lodge is basically a dream come true for dogs like us.
First things first: the sunroom. Ohhh the sunroom. This is prime real estate. It’s warm, bright, and has front-row seats to nature’s greatest reality show. From here, we carefully monitor birds, deer, chipmunks, squirrels, groundhogs, raccoons, possums, and anything else that dares wander through our yard. We take this job very seriously.
When the humans open the door, we get to hang out on the gated deck right off the sunroom—safe, breezy, and perfect for sniffing the air like professionals. If it’s extra sunny, we relocate to the gated gazebo, where we can rest in the shade and keep watch like tiny security guards. Other times, we’re posted up in the grass, clipped to a leader by a tree, doing some very important sniff investigations. Trust us—there are a LOT of smells back there.
One time, our doggie cousin almost caught a squirrel here. ALMOST. The squirrel escaped (unfortunately), but wow… the excitement from that near-victory powered the rest of the stay. We still talk about it.
When winter rolls around, Dash claims his throne: right in front of the wood-burning stove. The hotter, the better. He will happily turn himself into a toasted marshmallow while Bolt supervises from a slightly cooler distance. The sunroom also doubles as an excellent sunbathing lounge—perfect for naps that require absolutely no effort.
Inside the lodge? Let’s just say we approve.
✔ Fuzzy throw blankets on the couches (ideal for snuggling)
✔ Very comfortable beds (tested and approved)
✔ A popcorn machine that produces movie-theater popcorn—which we believe should be shared nightly (we’re still negotiating this rule)
We were also impressed with the dog-friendly amenities. There are toys to play with, a handy travel mat we can use outside if patio furniture is full, and special dog towels for cleanup after outdoor adventures. And if our people forget bowls? No problem—there are extras for food and water. Thoughtful humans. Very thoughtful.
One more thing: the neighborhood cats. Whenever one strolls by, we go into full alert mode. Maximum excitement. Bark-level enthusiasm. We are both glad and disappointed that cats aren’t allowed to stay here—glad because… well… rules, and disappointed because… imagine the drama. One day we were hanging in the gazebo supervising Kenny's landscaping by the new pickleball court and an unsuspecting cat came in the gazebo!!! We had so much fun chasing that cat out!!! We don't know why cats think the gazebo is for them. Maybe we need to put up a sign. Dogs only!
We are always happy to welcome new dog friends to visit—but we kindly insist that everyone leave their indoor marking habits at the door, because as far as we're concerned, this house is already claimed 🐾😄 In fact, we think it's the best place we've lived---but those cabin vacations where we saw bear! Wow! That's one thing we are sad Deer Run Lodge doesn't have. Our humans tell us that families pay to come stay at Deer Run Lodge so they can buy us bones and take us on another vacation to see bear. So if your humans are thinking about staying here, tell them Bolt and Dash give it two paws WAY up.
Now if you’ll excuse us, we heard something rustle near the trees… 🐿️👀