u/hometowngypsy

After a trip to the beach yesterday, I checked to see my dog’s activity history. I found some extra tabs I’d never noticed showing her heart rate, breathing, sleep, and activity history as well as local and national averages. I was so excited to see Bonnie is trending above normal in activity and that her heart rate, breathing, and sleep were all excellent.

I have wanted an Irish setter my whole life, and the breed fits all the personality traits I was searching for when seeking an adventure buddy. I also chose to get a puppy from a show line instead of a field line so she wouldn’t be quite as high-drive as a working dog. But I was still a bit anxious when I finally brought her home. I worried I wouldn’t be able to provide her enough exercise and enrichment since I work full time and don’t hunt or live in an area with a good outdoor culture.

I’ve always loved adventures with my dogs, but they’re usually confined to weekends and vacations. Since Bonnie was higher energy than my previous dogs, I sought out ways to make sure she didn’t get bored. We’ve done lots of training classes- like scent work and agility, we’ve done doggie swim lessons and dock diving, and I try to find new places to take her regularly. She does weekly adventure hikes where she is picked up in a van painted like a doggy taxi and taken out to a ranch west of the city to run and swim and play with her friends, and she goes once a week to enrichment daycare at the training facility we take classes with- where they work on some training skills and do different games and activities for the dogs. I felt like we were doing okay, but was so happy to see the data backing it up.

I love her so much, and the quote that “dogs only get 12-15 summers” slapped me in the face. I want to make sure I do what I can to make those 12-15 summers amazing

I took my Bonnie girl to the beach for the first time. I’ll never get enough of seeing her experience things for the first time. Or seeing her boundless enthusiasm for literally anything. She makes me laugh every single day and her excitement at life has healed me in ways I didn’t know I needed. I adore this dog, and I am so grateful I get to experience more days like this one with her

I lost my first dog in 2023, and my second dog was, and still is, a total introvert. To fill the gap of having an outgoing, adventurous, friendly dog- I finally took the plunge on getting a puppy (both previous dogs were adopted as adults). I chose an Irish setter because I’d wanted one since my childhood Irish setter passed, and because they are the textbook definition of the perfect adventure dog.

Bonnie exceeded my hopes and dreams in every single way. She finds joy and fun in literally everything, and her endless enthusiasm and happiness has healed me in ways I didn’t know I needed. Not only does she go along with me on my normal activities, I find myself seeking out new things to try just to watch her experience them. I’ve been more places and met more people I. The 2.5 years I’ve had her than in the previous 10 combined. I adore her, and I am so grateful I get to go on more adventures with her.

Despite living about an hour from the beach, I hadn’t made it down there since getting Bonnie. Decided last minute that she was overdue for a visit and we did a day trip yesterday. In true Bonnie fashion, she had a blast. She especially loved stalking seagulls (unsurprising) and chasing her favorite squeaky tennis ball around on the sand. She was a little miffed by the waves, but still waded out and splashed around. Once we had gotten her wiggles out, we retreated to our little pop up tent for shade and she stood guard duty against birds while I read and listened to the ocean. I can’t get enough of seeing her experience new things 💜

Ender and Bonnie are hilariously similar in so many ways. I’m fortunate to have a critter crew (2 dogs, 3 cats) that all get along, play together, snuggle, groom each other, and love each other- but these two take it a step further. Sometimes it feels like they’re part of an oddball roommates sitcom or a buddy-cop movie. I love it so much.

We have a group of Irish setter families that get together for play dates every so often. Today we changed it up a bit and had a pool party instead of the usual park or backyard meetups. It was an absolute blast and total chaos. 7 Irish setters- some of them water babies and some not so sure. Regardless- fun was had by all and we ended up with some tired and happy pups.

Carl joined my crew in January 2026. My sister’s friend fosters cats and when I saw his picture I instantly fell for his big eyes. He was understandably nervous and timid when I brought him home, but even on the first night he crawled onto my lap and purred.

He made quick work of getting my two older cats (3-year-old littermates, Ender and Fitz) to fall in love with their new little brother. My dogs also adore him, but he’s still not sure about them. He’s getting much more comfortable with them after time and lots of churu-enforced positive interactions. He now willingly comes to hang out in the same room, even on the same bed or sofa, as the dogs. Not quite ready to play with them, much to my younger dog’s (Bonnie) dismay - she desperately wants to be his friend- but we’ll get there.

And he is such a love. He will tuck himself into my side or lay on my lap and purr like an engine. He has the cutest trill / purr combo. And I have never seen a cat who loves fun quite as much as he does. He zooms around chirping and trilling and does high-speed passes all around the house. He LOVES springs and will carry and collect them like treasures- which often leads to me finding springs in the food bowl or litter box because he got distracted mid-play. He also sits on the back of the sofa with his stump dangling down- it’s hysterical. I can’t wait to see what he does next on our life-long adventure together :)