The true story behind Willowmere
Before There Was Willowmere, There Was Gracie
The real dogs, the love, and the kindness that started it all.
Before Willowmere was a shop, or Dog & Duck had a world of their own, there were the dogs who changed my life.
I didn't grow up with a dog or a cat. I didn't yet know how much loving an animal could open my heart or change the way I saw other people and the world. Daisy, Petey, Rocky and Gracie taught me, each in their own way.
Gracie, Now and Always
The real Gracie, age 12. Still the heart of Willowmere.
Gracie and her red Frisbee
Some things never change. She still loves her Frisbee.
Daisy: The Original Gracie
Daisy came into my life in 2004. I remember her loving spirit. I call her the original Gracie.
In 2014, Daisy was hit by a car late one evening. I lost her that night. Her collar has hung from the driver's mirror of my Toyota FJ Cruiser ever since. I carry that small piece of her with me.
I don't have a photograph of Daisy to share here yet. I do have her memory, and her place in this family.
Petey, and the Weekend Rocky Came Home
In 2008, I lost my German Shepherd Petey to cancer. One week later, Rocky came for what was meant to be a trial weekend.
I was working out upstairs when I looked through the window and saw him. I knew he was going to stay.
Rocky taught me love, loyalty, kindness and gentleness. Everybody loved Rocky, especially children.
The Very Next Day, Gracie Arrived
Rocky loved Daisy. After she died, he would sit at the top of the hill looking for her. I'll never forget that.
The very next day after losing Daisy, a little puppy arrived on my porch. Her name was Gracie.
Gracie couldn't replace Daisy or Petey. No dog could. But she became her own part of our family, and Rocky was six when she came home in 2014.
Little Gracie in her blue-striped bow. She arrived the day after we lost Daisy, and a new chapter of love began.
Gracie & Rocky: A Love That Lasts
There are memories that need almost no explanation: a car ride, a quiet afternoon, a head resting against a friend.
Rocky has since passed away, but his love stays with us. As I've said from the heart: “Rocky forever lives in both of our hearts.”
The Heart I Drew Around Them
This is my favorite photograph ever. I drew that red heart around Gracie and Rocky myself. It stands for the love I feel for them, and it also signifies Pay It Forward Columbus. The heart is part of the photograph and part of our story.
From Me to We
My animals helped my heart grow and see the world differently. Loving them taught me about caring for myself and for others, staying connected, and offering kindness when somebody needs it.
For me, Willowmere is a way to share that love: in stories of friendship, in the everyday life we share with our dogs, and in small ways of paying kindness forward. You don't have to own a dog to belong here. You only need to believe that love and connection matter.
Love changes us. Kindness carries it forward.
Carry the Kindness Forward
Get to know Gracie, enjoy the Tales of Willowmere stories, and discover thoughtful finds for the good dogs in your life. Our shop grows from this story, and from the love we keep carrying forward.