Arlington Pet of the Week: Abby

This week’s Pet of the Week is Abby, a lab/whippet mix who isn’t allowed by the ocean because her owner is afraid she’ll try to swim to the other side.

Here’s what Abby’s owner, Kellie, had to say about her aquatically-inclined animal:

Abby is a 3 year-old lab/whippet mix, meaning she is very playful and very fast! She is unaware that she is no longer a puppy and likes to greet everyone she meets on walks, both human and canine. She is incredibly sweet, giving lots of kisses and curling up on your lap, as much as her nearly 50-pound body can.

Her ideal day involves running around outside, either chasing after a ball or simply running in circles. When it’s warm out, there’s nothing more that she loves than a good swim. In fact she has been known to jump into a small lake or stream and swim straight to the other side, preventing us from ever taking her to a large body of water for fear she won’t turn around!

Abby came to us at 10 weeks old from Lost Dog. We spotted her immediately, curled up and sleeping on her older brother Buddha (who we are still in touch with). From an early age she has hated car rides, though she is always excited about what exciting place she’ll be going. As part of her puppy training we got her to stop barking so she decided the best way to express herself was through loud yawns. They are very distinctive depending on whether she is looking for attention, is hungry, or is simply annoyed at you. They are completely silent when she is actually tired, so we’re on to her.

Her new best friend is our 7 month-old daughter, whom she isn’t quite sure what to do with. At first when our daughter would cry, Abby would come running in to make sure she was all right and that were on top of our game as parents. Now she’s grown a bit immune to the crying but she will still saunter if it doesn’t stop right away. Abby is very patient as our little girl learns what a dog is and spends her time grabbing Abby’s fur, ears, paws, nose… poor Abby looks at us to make sure we know how good she is being but doesn’t react. She is rewarded with treats and sometimes gets to sneak in a lick on a baby hand or foot. This smart girl knows which toys are the baby’s, though, and will not step on her playmat or even sniff the squeaky toys that are left on the floor!

Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet.

Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $25 in Becky’s Bucks. Becky’s Pet Care provides professional dog walking and pet sitting services in Arlington and Northern Virginia — “Quality Service from a Trusted Friend.”