We enter this week of Thanksgiving with one thought: we are grateful.
When we opened Rover’s Ranch on Thanksgiving, November of 2007, we were so very grateful to our neighbors on our private residential road for accepting the extra traffic and a whole lot of dogs in the neighborhood. Without our neighbors’ generosity, we could not have have opened Rover’s Ranch. We continue to be very, very grateful to all our neighbors. We are only here because of them!
The first Thanksgiving that we were open, we also were so grateful for those initial customers who came to check out our facilities and who have been coming to us ever since. Now, here it is, Thanksgiving, eight years later. Over the years, we have cared for and loved so many, many dogs and we have many stories to tell. Every story comes back to the theme of gratitude, and since it is Thanksgiving, we wanted to recount some of the ways in which we are grateful.
First, we are grateful to be able to live in such a stunningly beautiful place as the Methow Valley.
We are grateful for the amazing community that exists here. The people in this valley are compassionate, resilient, and ready to jump in with both feet to help others.
We are grateful for our neighbors, all of whom look out for each other and care for each other.
We are grateful for the valley’s talented and dedicated veterinarians, both as dog (and cat) owners ourselves and as dog caregivers. Drs. Betsy Devin-Smith, Gina Pastore, and Terri Deweert have provided skilled care for our personal pets, and we are grateful.
We are grateful to Three Rivers Dog Training where young (and not so young) dogs can learn some social skills, some manners and how to have a good time (can you say “dog agility?”).
We are grateful to Twisp Feed and Glover Street Market for offering such healthy, good dog (and cat) food, and a caring attitude to go with it.
We are grateful to the many wonderful hotels that readily refer dog guests to our kennel, especially Sun Mountain Lodge, Central Reservations, Chewuch Inn & Cabins, Hotel Rio Vista, Methow River Lodge & Cabins, River’s Edge Resort, Winthrop Inn, Cottonwood Cottage, Mt. Gardner Inn, Methow Valley Inn, Methow Suites, Timberline Meadows, and Mazama Country Inn.
We are so very grateful to all of the valley’s first responders who have, time and time again, ensured our safety and well-being, and who serve the rest of us in the valley so selflessly.
We are very grateful to the fire fighters of Okanogan County Fire District 6 and of the Methow Valley Ranger District, who again this year, fought so valiantly to protect us from wildfire, and to all the Okanogan Sheriffs’ Department, Aero Methow Rescue Service, the Twisp and Winthrop Police Departments for their huge efforts to keep us from harm’s way. In that same vein, we are grateful to all our dear friends who signed up to help us evacuate the kennel if fire came our way. (It did and they did!)
Thank you to our dear friends who put up with our dog-centric schedule and to one dear friend in particular, Marti Darling, for enabling us to take a few days off! We appreciate you immensely!
We are especially are grateful for all our customers. Thank you for letting us be a part of your dogs’ lives! We feel like Uncle Patrick and Aunt Kathryn to a number of our boarders - what a gift that is! We really enjoy getting to know each of you and your dogs, and we truly love caring for your dogs. To watch a shy dog gain confidence in a social setting, to lead a game of fetch, or to simply gaze into the eyes of a trusting senior kennel guest is humbling and rewarding. How fortunate we are to get to spend time with so many wonderful dogs!
We are grateful that this valley loves its dogs - and boy, does it ever! We are grateful for the opportunity to serve the valley and its visitors by caring for these beloved companions. Thank you for helping make this possible.
Here’s wishing all of you and your canine companions a wonderful Thanksgiving. -
Patrick & Kathryn Heim
When we opened Rover’s Ranch on Thanksgiving, November of 2007, we were so very grateful to our neighbors on our private residential road for accepting the extra traffic and a whole lot of dogs in the neighborhood. Without our neighbors’ generosity, we could not have have opened Rover’s Ranch. We continue to be very, very grateful to all our neighbors. We are only here because of them!
The first Thanksgiving that we were open, we also were so grateful for those initial customers who came to check out our facilities and who have been coming to us ever since. Now, here it is, Thanksgiving, eight years later. Over the years, we have cared for and loved so many, many dogs and we have many stories to tell. Every story comes back to the theme of gratitude, and since it is Thanksgiving, we wanted to recount some of the ways in which we are grateful.
First, we are grateful to be able to live in such a stunningly beautiful place as the Methow Valley.
We are grateful for the amazing community that exists here. The people in this valley are compassionate, resilient, and ready to jump in with both feet to help others.
We are grateful for our neighbors, all of whom look out for each other and care for each other.
We are grateful for the valley’s talented and dedicated veterinarians, both as dog (and cat) owners ourselves and as dog caregivers. Drs. Betsy Devin-Smith, Gina Pastore, and Terri Deweert have provided skilled care for our personal pets, and we are grateful.
We are grateful to Three Rivers Dog Training where young (and not so young) dogs can learn some social skills, some manners and how to have a good time (can you say “dog agility?”).
We are grateful to Twisp Feed and Glover Street Market for offering such healthy, good dog (and cat) food, and a caring attitude to go with it.
We are grateful to the many wonderful hotels that readily refer dog guests to our kennel, especially Sun Mountain Lodge, Central Reservations, Chewuch Inn & Cabins, Hotel Rio Vista, Methow River Lodge & Cabins, River’s Edge Resort, Winthrop Inn, Cottonwood Cottage, Mt. Gardner Inn, Methow Valley Inn, Methow Suites, Timberline Meadows, and Mazama Country Inn.
We are so very grateful to all of the valley’s first responders who have, time and time again, ensured our safety and well-being, and who serve the rest of us in the valley so selflessly.
We are very grateful to the fire fighters of Okanogan County Fire District 6 and of the Methow Valley Ranger District, who again this year, fought so valiantly to protect us from wildfire, and to all the Okanogan Sheriffs’ Department, Aero Methow Rescue Service, the Twisp and Winthrop Police Departments for their huge efforts to keep us from harm’s way. In that same vein, we are grateful to all our dear friends who signed up to help us evacuate the kennel if fire came our way. (It did and they did!)
Thank you to our dear friends who put up with our dog-centric schedule and to one dear friend in particular, Marti Darling, for enabling us to take a few days off! We appreciate you immensely!
We are especially are grateful for all our customers. Thank you for letting us be a part of your dogs’ lives! We feel like Uncle Patrick and Aunt Kathryn to a number of our boarders - what a gift that is! We really enjoy getting to know each of you and your dogs, and we truly love caring for your dogs. To watch a shy dog gain confidence in a social setting, to lead a game of fetch, or to simply gaze into the eyes of a trusting senior kennel guest is humbling and rewarding. How fortunate we are to get to spend time with so many wonderful dogs!
We are grateful that this valley loves its dogs - and boy, does it ever! We are grateful for the opportunity to serve the valley and its visitors by caring for these beloved companions. Thank you for helping make this possible.
Here’s wishing all of you and your canine companions a wonderful Thanksgiving. -
Patrick & Kathryn Heim