At the Horton Hotel, we love dogs. All dogs. Shelter dogs, purebred dogs, rescue dogs, both large and small dogs. We welcome them all! Dogs traveling with their humans even have their own entire floor at the Horton Hotel. They get their own special welcome bag too, courtesy of our locally owned and operated pet shop: The Pet Place. We hope you’ll consider bringing your pup along the next time you stay with us. Creating a pet friendly environment has been important to us since day one, so naturally we’ve got a staff full of dog lovers. Read on to enjoy tales from our staff about their four-legged best friends.
New parents: Andrea and Sandy adopt Mila.
“My husband Sandy and I wanted a dog for a loooonnnnggg time, but felt that we just didn’t have the right space or time for one. We had Mikoe, our kitty, and he was so low maintenance that we just kept putting off bringing a puppy into our world.
A little over two years ago we were traveling back and forth to and from Boone and Savannah – due to work and new business ventures. One day before heading back to Savannah, Sandy pulled up a chocolate lab puppy that was for sale on Craigslist while eating at Black Cat. We jokingly thought about getting her for a few minutes…and then quickly that turned into seriously thinking about it. Later that night, he reached out to the owners, told them we’d be passing that way on our way home to Savannah, and we wanted to stop off the highway to meet her. They said ok…
That night, before even meeting her, I thought of her name, Mila. I don’t know why, but it already felt right!
We stopped at the gas station in Columbia, SC and met her. We quickly scooped her up and drove her back to Savannah. She stayed in my arms the entire ride, and Sandy was jealous she’d bond with me more than him!!
From there on out, we were full blown puppy parents…from puppy school, training, bringing her to work with us, and all the things that go with raising a pup. Mila has taught us what unconditional love really is…each day with her has made me a better human. She shows me what patience, forgiveness, happiness, and pure love look like.
Her favorite things are tennis balls, the word “play”, her red frisbee, and home-baked dog cookies. I am still trying to perfect a homemade doggie treat for her.”
Hunter & Hamm: an almost haiku.
“This is Hamm he is
half dachshund half rat terrier.
We call him ratshund.
(rat-shun).
Hamm loves chasing rabbits and tennis balls. Pizza is his favorite food, and he loves to sleep in. He is a professional dog.”
McKenzie & the 3 pit bulls.
“I have three pit bull mixes. Yes, I did say pit bulls! They are one of the most amazing, beautiful, and loving breeds out there. My family and I have been fostering dogs for an organization called Best Friends Pet Adoption for about 10 years now, and we’ve fostered these three throughout the years.
We realized after having them for more than 6 months that it was our calling to adopt them. Their names are (in the 1st picture starting from left to right), Stella (5 yo), Brooklyn (just turned 1 yo!), and Ace (9 yo).
These three are amazing with the foster puppies we bring into our home, and I really couldn’t imagine my life without these guys. They bring such joy to my family and I! From their amazing snuggles to their endless kisses, they are honestly the most amazing dogs I have ever had (and with fostering, I’ve had over 100).
I wish everyone could either foster or adopt a dog and get to experience the love that I get to experience every single day! Dogs truly are mans best friend. We didn’t rescue these dogs, these dogs rescued us… and I am so thankful for that.”
Taylor loves pits too!
Meet Pandora & Chimera.
“These are my 2 girls, mother and daughter, I started breeding pit bulls about 20 years ago, initially rescuing pups from backyard breeders. Since then, I’ve been working to prove that there’s a false stereotype regarding the temperament of this breed.
As time went on, my cousin and I began purchasing pups from select show breeders who specialized in more docile variations that included desirable characteristics such as substance, conformation, and iridescent colors. A few years later, we began to cross the lineages together to develop our ideal representation of the breed: a visually stunning animal that’s completely child and family safe! We certainly achieved that with the Smoky Mountain Blues bloodline.
I have a mother and daughter pair that I’ve raised from birth. Pandora will be 9 in September and Chimera 6 in December. Chimera is a miracle pup! My veterinarian confirmed that her mother was not pregnant… then 3 weeks later I get home from a long night at work, walk into my bedroom, find Pandora acting strange, and discover one perfect newborn beautiful baby girl lying on the bed. Of course I kept her, and the rest is history!”
Too doggone cute!
Cheers to the puppers who help make us better humans! We hope you enjoyed reading these heartwarming tales. And hopefully we’ll get to meet your pup the next time you travel to the Horton. Boone, North Carolina is such a dog friendly town. We can guarantee you’ll make all kinds of sweet memories with your best friend.
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