Our lobby isn't complete without a warm four-legged greeting. So, Bobby Nashville partners with Bonaparte's Retreat, Instinct Dog Behavior & Training Nashville, PrydeShare, and Pets for Patriots to create the Dog-in-Residence program.
This month, the Bobby Nashville welcomes its newest “employee,” Winnie. Trained by Julie Farris of Instinct Dog Behavior & Training Nashville, Winnie is the latest Dog-in-Residence to clock in for work at the hotel. Farris helped train Winnie for her new job, getting her used to various sounds and lots of activity in the hotel. Like Sasha, Hairy, Zoe, the previous dogs-in-residence, Winnie will be on the payroll (with some of her pay coming in the form of her favorite treats, like hot dogs, freeze-dried treats and Milk Bones), greeting guests and being Nashville’s furriest ambassador.
The plan is for Winnie’s tenure to last about nine months. Then, Pets for Patriots, a national non-profit, will help the hotel locate a veteran in need of a dog companion. Once the right person is identified, Instinct will help train Winnie for her new home, and many of the skills she learned on the job should translate to her new home. If needed, Pets for Patriots will help cover adoption costs and even pet food for veterans in need.
In addition to training Winnie, Farris also trained other (human) Bobby Nashville staff on how to read canine body language, so they’ll know if Winnie is ready to go home for the night. Farris has trained other dogs with high-profile jobs, such as the mascot for the Nashville Predators hockey team, so she knows when dogs want attention and when they don’t.
Other partners working with the Bobby Nashville on its Dog-in-Residence program include Bonaparte’s Retreat and PrydeShare, a pet-friendly ride-share company.
Winnie’s pretty active—she loves zoomies—but we got her to sit for a few minutes to answer some questions before her first shift:
Bobby Nashville: Welcome to the Bobby, Winnie! Tell us about yourself.
Winnie: I’m so happy to be here! I’m a two-year-old German Shepherd/Husky mix and I’m so excited to get to work at the hotel and meet all the guests…and their owners.
Bobby Nashville: The hotel does encourage human guests to bring their dogs to town with them. Every dog who stays gets a free plush toy.
Winnie: Oh, I love toys! I love to play fetch with my squeaky seal and my squeaky dolphin. I even taught myself to play fetch so if my human co-workers are busy I can entertain myself with a ball.
Bobby Nashville: That’s very industrious of you. So, you like other dogs?
Winnie: Of course I do. Dogs can’t be beat…except…I love it best when humans give me a belly rub. I could just hang out all day in the hotel lobby staring at the big hub-cap chandelier on the ceiling while everyone pets my belly.
Bobby Nashville: We’re so lucky to have you at the hotel! And to have Pets for Patriots help you find your forever home. Did you know that every time a human books a room at the Bobby with their pet, the hotel will donate to Pets for Patriots? That will help other shelter dogs find homes with veterans looking for four-legged friends.
Winnie: Arf! I met a lot of cool dogs when I was at the shelter, but not all of them had the right temperament to be a hotel dog. It’s not a job for every dog. One of the things I learned from Instinct Dog Behavior is that every dog is an individual.
