http://www.hiddenvalleydoodles.com/

Hidden Valley Doodles, Millville, MN (2026)

08/16/2026

🐾 VACATION SEASON AT HIDDEN VALLEY DOODLES! 🐾

Well, it’s that time of year! ☀️🏕️🚗

Lots of our guardian families are taking their summer vacations — heading off to visit family, enjoy water parks, go camping, explore some of Mother Nature’s beautiful places, or simply get away for a few days.

And one of the best parts?

Their dogs get to come here for a vacation of their very own! 😂🐶❤️

While their families are off making memories, they don’t have to spend one minute worrying about their babies. They already know exactly where they are and exactly what they’re doing…

They’re back at Hidden Valley Doodles!

Around here, boarding looks a little less like “boarding” and a whole lot more like DOGGY SUMMER CAMP. 😂

There are outdoor adventures, old friends to catch up with, new friends to make, special activities, treats, plenty of attention and, of course, the usual Hidden Valley doodle chaos. 🤣

But this particular group is extra fun because when I said it feels like a Hidden Valley family reunion, I wasn't kidding!

❤️ Cali is here with her son Shadow, and Shadow happens to be Echo's full brother — which means Echo gets to spend her vacation hanging out with her mama AND her brother!

And then we have Willow visiting us too. Some of you probably remember Willow very well…and apparently Leo remembers her VERY well because Willow has always been one of his favorites. 😂❤️🐾

That's one of my favorite things about our guardian program. These dogs don't simply disappear from our lives after they leave here. They come back. They remember us. They remember each other. Brothers, sisters, moms, old buddies — and apparently a few old crushes. 😂

I get to watch puppies I once held in my hands come bouncing back through the door as grown dogs, and their families can enjoy their vacations knowing their babies are somewhere familiar, safe and very much loved.

So take a good look at the video and see how many familiar faces you recognize. 👀🐶

To someone else, it might look like a whole bunch of doodles running around creating chaos…

But to me, it looks like one big Hidden Valley family reunion. ❤️🐾

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

08/15/2026

ONE TICK. TWO TICK-BORNE ILLNESSES. AND A WHOLE NEW APPRECIATION FOR TICK PREVENTION. 🕷️🐾

You know what I wish they made for people?

Bravecto. 😂

Okay, maybe not actual Bravecto, but seriously… where is the once-every-few-months tick preventative for humans? Because after this summer, SIGN ME UP.

I have had one tick attached to me this summer. ONE.

And that one little tick has managed to cause me a whole lot of grief.

It started earlier this summer when I just felt crummy. Nothing that screamed, "THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!" Just enough things that weren't right.

Headache.
Low-grade fever.
Terrible muscle and back aches.
My skin actually hurt to touch.
Extreme fatigue.
Nausea.
Dizziness.

I'm pretty in tune with my body and what it can and cannot do, but I'm also stubborn about going to the doctor. 😂 I tend to think, Well, maybe I'm just having a bad day… or a bad week… keep moving.

Eventually I knew something wasn't right.

The Lyme testing was confusing. One test came back positive, another came back negative, but with my symptoms and tick exposure, they treated me for Lyme disease with doxycycline.

And within a couple of days, I started feeling better.

Speaking of doxycycline…

READ. THE. DIRECTIONS. 🤦‍♀️

One night I took that little pill right before bed and laid down.

BIG MISTAKE.

I spent the next SIX HOURS with acid reflux so horrible I was seriously considering going to the ER. Eventually I looked up the directions.

"Stay upright after taking doxycycline."

Well, that would've been useful information BEFORE I tried to burn a hole through my esophagus. 😂

Point taken. Lesson learned.

I finished my antibiotics, felt better and went about life.

Then a few weeks later, something changed again.

This time the symptoms felt different. I was exhausted and achy, but the strangest part was the skin and muscle sensitivity. The backs of my arms, legs and back hurt from something as simple as clothing touching me. It reminded me of that awful skin sensitivity you can get when you have a fever.

Again, nothing dramatic enough that I thought I needed an emergency room.

Just enough to know:

Something isn't right.

So back to the doctor I went. More blood work.

And a few days later I got the answer.

ANAPLASMOSIS.

Another tick-borne disease.

So here I sit, on round number two of antibiotics, thanks to what appears to have been one single tick bite.

And THAT is exactly why I am so adamant about tick prevention for my personal dogs and every one of my guardian dogs.

Think about it.

I can say:

"My skin hurts."
"My joints ache."
"I'm dizzy."
"I'm exhausted."
"Something doesn't feel right."

Our dogs can't.

Maybe your dog sleeps a little more.

Maybe they're moving a little slower.

Maybe they don't want to play quite as much today.

Maybe they seem sore.

And we can so easily think, Eh, they're tired.

Meanwhile, they could feel absolutely miserable and have no way to tell us.

Dogs already get such terribly short lives compared with ours. And if you're lucky enough to have a dog live long enough to get old, you already know those final years can come with enough aches, pains and challenges.

Their young, healthy years shouldn't have to be riddled with preventable tick-borne disease.

We are incredibly fortunate that we have good tick preventatives available for our dogs.

Use them.

Check your dogs.

Check yourself.

And don't assume that because you don't remember seeing a bunch of ticks, you're safe.

I'm living proof that ONE is enough.

As for me, I'm hoping this round of antibiotics finally gets me back to feeling like myself.

And I'm still waiting for science to invent the human version of Bravecto.

Because at this point, there have definitely been a time or two when I've looked at the dogs' pills and thought…

"How bad could it be?" 😂😂😂

For the record: I have NOT eaten the Bravecto. 🤣

But seriously — tick prevention matters. ❤️🐾

08/13/2026

Well folks… apparently today I decided to cram about three days worth of life into ONE. 😂❤️

And it’s only 4:30.

This morning started with dogs to feed, dogs to groom, Wi-Fi to conquer and, somewhere in there, I probably should have remembered that humans need breakfast too.

First up were Chai and Stella for their spa days. ✂️🐾

And Stella’s haircut had a little more importance than your average grooming appointment because this girl needed to look GOOD.

Why?

Because Stella is officially here for her honeymoon with Leo. ❤️😂

Yep… romance is in the air at Hidden Valley Doodles.

And judging by the adorable video I have of the two of them beginning their little courtship, I’d say neither one seems terribly upset about the arrangement. 😂

There really is a science behind breeding dogs responsibly—timing, watching heat cycles, choosing the right pairing, genetics, health, temperament and then letting Mother Nature decide the rest.

But apparently Leo and Stella prefer to call it date night. 😂❤️

Meanwhile, I was also determined to finish something that has been driving me CRAZY.

THE DOG BUILDING HAS INTERNET!!! 🎉🎉🎉

If you have followed my Wi-Fi saga, you understand what an accomplishment this is.

We live down in a valley, surrounded by trees and rock, with satellite internet that already has its work cut out for it. My dog building sits roughly 200 feet from the house and once you walked inside… goodbye Wi-Fi.

After moving things, testing things, changing networks, running speed tests and probably inventing a few new swear words along the way…

IT WORKS.

I even connected the TV in the dog building and watched it update.

For somebody who freely admits she is NOT the technology department, I felt like I had personally launched a satellite into space. 😂

And yes, while all of this was happening, I realized I hadn’t eaten breakfast. I eventually grabbed my protein shake and called that good enough for the moment.

Then the day changed.

I received a call about two tiny squirrels found on a sidewalk by a woman who was out walking dogs.

One had already died. He was covered in maggots and ants.

The other was still alive.

His eyes weren’t even open yet, and he had fly strike.

She did exactly what she could do—she picked off what she could and tucked that tiny baby inside her bra to keep him warm while she finished what she absolutely had to do and then headed my way.

So suddenly the dog nursery became a squirrel emergency room.

I named him Pickles because his rescuer brought me a bunch of cucumbers. 🥒🐿️

Because apparently even during an emergency, my brain still works like this. 😂

When Pickles arrived, I evaluated him quickly. Surprisingly, there were only about five or six fly eggs that I could see. None were around his eyes, nose or mouth. He didn’t feel terribly cold and he didn't appear severely dehydrated.

But the first rule with these tiny babies is warm first.

So I turned on my small-animal heater, put a washcloth over it so he wouldn't warm too quickly, wrapped him gently in a towel and decided I wasn't going to start poking, pulling and stressing him until his little body had a chance to warm.

I gave him an hour.

When I went back to check on him…

Pickles was gone. 💔

He had died quietly, wrapped up and warm.

And THAT part of today hurt.

I couldn't save him.

But after knowing his sibling had already died out there, I keep reminding myself of one thing:

Pickles didn't die cold on a sidewalk covered in bugs and alone.

For his last little bit of life, somebody cared.

A stranger stopped.

She tucked him against her own body to keep him warm.

She drove him to someone she hoped could help.

He got a name.

He was warm.

And he mattered.

Sometimes rescue isn't about getting the ending we desperately want.

Sometimes the only thing we get to change is how the ending happens. 🐿️❤️

After that, life did what life always seems to do around here—it kept moving.

I ate a piece of pizza Scott made, jumped in the vehicle and headed to Plainview to mail/drop off clipper blades at the post office and get gas for the lawn mower because apparently squirrels, dog romance and Wi-Fi do NOT excuse me from regular chores. 😂

And then came another piece of happy news.

Remember little Tux?

Yesterday I took that sweet 13-pound boy to his new guardian home.

I knew this was the right decision.

That doesn't mean I don't miss him like crazy already. ❤️

But the first-day reports couldn't be much better.

Tux knows where his food and water are.

Not one accident in the house.

He's already settling into laps—which surprises absolutely NO ONE who knows Tux. 😂

And best of all, he's actively playing with his new 80-pound big brother, Rascal!

And here's the really special part…

Rascal came from Hidden Valley too. ❤️

He's one of my Bailey and Buster babies.

His wonderful owner had been thinking that maybe a smaller lap dog would be nice, while Rascal could really use a buddy to play with.

Well…

Rascal weighs about 80 pounds.

Tux weighs 13.

Apparently nobody told the boys there's a 67-pound discrepancy in this friendship. 😂😂😂

So Rascal got his playmate.

Tux got his lap.

His guardian got his little cuddler.

And I still get Tux back here when it's time for him to do his job with Hidden Valley Doodles.

That's what a guardian home is supposed to be.

Everybody wins. ❤️

And now we're coming into the final stretch of this absolutely ridiculous day.

At about 5:30, Cali and her son Shadow should be arriving to spend a few days with us, so I'm heading back into dog mode to get everybody settled.

Then I am DONE.

Hamburgers are going on the grill. 🍔

I am finding a good movie.

And unless somebody arrives at my door carrying a squirrel, a dog goes into labor, the Wi-Fi explodes or Leo and Stella decide they need a chaperone…

I AM OFF DUTY. 😂😂😂

Today had a little bit of everything.

There was technology that finally worked.

A fresh haircut and a budding romance.

A little black-and-white dog beginning a wonderful new chapter.

An 80-pound dog discovering that his new best buddy comes in a 13-pound package.

And one tiny squirrel named Pickles who was only part of my life for a very short time…but still managed to leave a little mark on my heart. 🐿️❤️

That's life around Hidden Valley.

Some days we celebrate.

Some days we cry.

Most days we laugh.

And occasionally…

we do all three before supper. ❤️🐾

08/11/2026

🦌🐾 HIDDEN VALLEY TREAT TIME! 🐾🦌

Today’s treat is an oldie but a goodie — and definitely one of the all-time favorites around Hidden Valley Doodles!

When we harvest our deer each year, there’s always some meat that we don’t use for ourselves. Around here, nothing goes to waste! I cut the extra venison into chunks, freeze it, and pull some out whenever the dogs deserve an extra-special treat.

I boil it up, cut it into bite-sized pieces, and suddenly I become the MOST POPULAR person at Hidden Valley. 😂

Judging by the video, I’d say venison is still holding strong as a pack favorite! 🐶❤️

I made enough this time to last about three days… although after seeing today’s feeding frenzy, I’m not sure they approve of that plan. 🤣

Simple. Homemade. And apparently five-star dining according to the Hidden Valley crew! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

And as for manners?

Yeah… those went straight out the window. 😂

The minute the venison came out, it turned into a full-blown doggie mosh pit — every dog for themselves! 🤣🦌🐶

Apparently venison is where civilized society officially breaks down at Hidden Valley Doodles. 😂🐾

08/09/2026

🐾 TODAY'S MYSTERY SNACK WAS A HIT! 😂
So Scott and I bought this rotisserie-flavored chicken lunch meat and... EW. Neither one of us liked it. 🤢
But around here, when perfectly good food gets rejected by the humans, there's always another panel of very willing taste testers. 😂
Enter the dogs.
I probably should have separated all the slices BEFORE calling everybody over, because it took me longer to peel the pieces apart than it did for them to inhale them. 🤣 It was FAST AND FURIOUS, and by the end I wasn't even completely sure everyone got their fair share. Don't worry—I promise to be much more organized when the chewy snacks come out this afternoon. 😂
Even Chester and Monkey got in on today's mystery snack. They weren't quite sure what to think because leftover lunch meat isn't exactly a common occurrence around here. The cats actually stopped, licked it and seemed to taste-test before committing.
The dogs?
SMELL FOOD. OPEN MOUTH. SWALLOW. NEXT!!! 🤣🤣🤣
Which has me wondering...
Do dogs actually CARE what their food tastes like, or is smell doing most of the work?
Because we're going to test my theory again soon. 😈
I've done this before with carrots. Boil them for just a couple minutes in chicken or beef broth and suddenly you've created what the dogs are absolutely convinced is MEAT.
They smell the broth.
They see me handing out treats.
They enthusiastically grab one...
CRUNCH.
And then comes that look. 🤨
"It looks like a hot dog. It SMELLS like a hot dog... but something ain't right here." 😂😂😂
Stay tuned. The Great Carrot Deception may be making a comeback. 🥕🐶
For now, enjoy today's video of the Hidden Valley crew absolutely demolishing the lunch meat that the humans wouldn't eat. Apparently our review was two thumbs down, while theirs was TWENTY PAWS UP. 🤣🐾❤️
Nothing goes to waste around here!

08/08/2026

🍎🥜 APPLES, PEANUT BUTTER & A FULL HOUSE AT HIDDEN VALLEY DOODLES 🐾❤️

Our famous apples with peanut butter made another appearance today! 😂 Around here, it doesn't take much to make a whole pack of dogs very, VERY happy.

You may notice a couple of faces you don't see here every day — Willow and Luna, formerly known as Honey Bear, are here enjoying a little vacation! ❤️

That's one of the things I love about our guardian program. The dogs in my program don't spend their lives living in a kennel or even all living here with me. They have wonderful families and homes of their very own.

But they also have a second home here. ❤️

Some weeks I might have two dogs visiting. Some weeks four. Occasionally I look around and somehow there are TEN. 😂 But it all works.

They come back for grooming, breeding when the time comes, vacations, or sometimes just a visit. And while they're here, they get to brush up on their pack skills and enjoy all the things that come with being out in the country — outdoor noises, different visitors, other dogs, new experiences, surprise adventures and, of course, plenty of fun snacks.

I really try to give my dogs the most fulfilling lives possible. I want them experiencing new things, using their brains, building confidence and having positive experiences wherever they go.

One of my absolute favorite things is when my guardian families tell me, "As soon as we turn onto your gravel road, they KNOW where we're going!"

They start getting excited before they even get here. 🥹❤️

That means more to me than they probably realize.

Because if they're excited to come back, I must be doing something right.

They know this place.
They know me.
They know the pack.
And most importantly, they know they're going to have FUN.

They have their family home... and they have their Hidden Valley vacation home. 🏡🐾

And I really need to say this because it doesn't get said enough:

Hidden Valley Doodles would NOT be what it is today without my incredible guardian families.

You open your homes and your hearts to these dogs. You love them, raise them, spoil them and give them beautiful lives while allowing them to remain part of something much bigger here.

I couldn't do this without you. ❤️

So today it's Willow, Luna and the gang sharing apples and peanut butter.

Next week's faces might look completely different.

But one thing around here never changes...

There's always room in the pack. 🐾❤️

07/31/2026

☔ Rainy Days at Hidden Valley Doodles 🐾🎂

Well... Mother Nature had other plans today. 🌧️

The pups are getting plenty of potty breaks, but for the most part we're all cooped up inside. When that happens, I have to get a little creative to keep everyone entertained!

Today's menu featured one of their favorite homemade "cakes." The best part? It's made with ingredients you probably already have at home... and yes, you can eat it too! (Although if it's for me, I'm definitely adding a little sugar or frosting. 😄 The dogs think it's perfect just the way it is!)

🐾 Hidden Valley Dog Cake Recipe
🍌 3 ripe bananas
🥚 3 eggs
🥜 ½ cup peanut butter (make sure it does NOT contain xylitol—it can be extremely dangerous for dogs!)

Mix everything together, pour into a pan, and bake at 350° for about 20 minutes. Let it cool, cut into bite-sized pieces, and watch it disappear!

Disappear is the key word... because I swear some of them inhaled their cake so fast I'm not convinced they even tasted it! 😂

To stretch out the fun, everyone also got a pig ear. Depending on the dog, that's about a 10-minute project around here. Some dogs can make one last all day... mine apparently see it as a speed-eating competition! 🤣

Don't worry... I've already got another treat planned for after this afternoon's potty break.

As for me? Let's just say rainy days aren't doing my waistline any favors either. So far today I've had breakfast, lunch, a bowl of popcorn, a piece of the dogs' cake (quality control, of course 😉), apple pie, and ice cream... and it isn't even 1:00 yet!

The TV is getting a workout, the rain keeps falling, and I'm seriously considering an afternoon nap with the doodles. Although with this crew, "sharing" a king-size bed usually means I end up clinging to one tiny corner while everyone else stretches out like they pay the mortgage. 😂❤️

Happy rainy Friday from all of us at Hidden Valley Doodles! ☔🐶💚

07/27/2026

🥵 Minnesota... who turned the oven on?!
Would you just look at this! It's only 8:00 in the morning, and we're already sitting at 83° with a heat advisory. When I step outside hoping for a breath of fresh air, there isn't anything fresh about it. It's thick, heavy, humid, and downright uncomfortable. Definitely not my kind of weather!
And if you have a doodle... you already know it's not their favorite weather either. 😂
Around here we've switched to indoor playtime with the air conditioner humming and the fans on high. The dogs still get to run around in one of their recreation areas, but after about 15 minutes every single one of them is lined up at the gate looking at me like...
"Mom... we've made a terrible mistake. Let us back into the air conditioning!" 🤣
The only one who seems to enjoy this heat is Leo. I'm beginning to wonder if it's the poodle in him! Yesterday, while everyone else was stretched out under shade trees or begging to come inside, I caught him sunbathing at 2:00 in the afternoon when the heat index was around 105°! I just shook my head and laughed. Silly boy!
Please make sure you're keeping your pups cool these next couple of days. Fresh water, shade, plenty of indoor breaks, and remember that hot pavement can burn those precious paws.
Now I need your help! 📸
Show me how your Hidden Valley Doodles are beating the heat! Are they sprawled across the air-conditioning vent? Belly-up in front of a fan? Splashing in a kiddie pool? I'd love to see your pictures in the comments!
Stay cool, everyone... this heat can leave whenever it's ready! ❤️🐾🌬️

07/26/2026

Happy Saturday... Part 2! 🤣

Remember those "potato chip bag" toys I brought home today? Well... I expected them to last at least a little while longer.

About four hours later, I walked outside and found what looked like a fresh snowfall. Pretty impressive considering it was pushing 90° with 80% humidity! ❄️😂

The great potato chip massacre of 2026 had officially taken place.

As I cleaned up the fluffy stuffing, I discovered something I hadn't noticed before... they had SQUEAKERS! 🤦‍♀️

That explains everything.

Honestly, I think this is also why so many of our doodles proudly bring their families baby bunnies. I can't tell you how many phone calls I've gotten that start with, "Can you take this bunny? My dog brought it home."

Somewhere along the line, someone decided prey should sound like a dog toy. 😅

Lesson learned around Hidden Valley Doodles: toys without squeakers usually survive a little longer. Toys with squeakers... not so much!

And this, my friends, is exactly why I shop the clearance aisle and garage sales for dog toys. Around here, they're less of a long-term investment and more of a very enthusiastic, short-lived form of entertainment. 🐾😂

Now tell me... does your dog lovingly carry toys around for months, or do they perform emergency squeaker surgery within the first five minutes? 🤣

07/25/2026

Happy Saturday, Hidden Valley Doodles family! 🐾🌞
We made it!
Today's mission was yard repair. 😅 I headed to town for dirt because somehow there are holes all over the recreation yard. Now, nobody seems to know who dug them... but I have a few furry suspects. 🐶👀
Yesterday was spent filling holes, and today they'll get fresh dirt and grass seed. Thankfully, we have two recreation areas, so one can rest and heal while the other one gets completely terrorized. It's a system... and it mostly works! 😂
Of course, I can't go to town without bringing home goodies. I may have picked up a thing or two for myself, but I never come home empty-handed. Scott gets a surprise, and the dogs always get treats or toys.
Today's toy was especially funny. It looked like a bag of potato chips. It even crinkled like a bag of potato chips. The dogs were convinced they'd hit the jackpot!
Chai immediately grabbed hers and took off running like she'd found buried treasure. She wasn't about to let anyone else inspect her prize. 🤣
The rest carefully picked theirs up, sniffed them, turned them over, and gave them a thorough quality inspection.
But the best reaction belonged to Leo.
Leo was determined to find the squeaker. He poked it, pushed it, chewed on it a little, searched every inch... and then looked at me with complete disappointment. 😂 It was almost as if he was saying, "Excuse me... where's the squeaker? How am I supposed to kill it if there's no squeaker?"
After a few more investigative nibbles, he simply walked away. Nope. Completely unacceptable.
Sorry, Leo... I'll do better next time. ❤️🐾
Do your dogs have a favorite kind of toy? Are they squeaker fanatics like Leo, or are they happy with anything they can carry around? I'd love to hear about their favorite treasures! 🥰🐶

Hidden Valley Doodles

08/16/2026

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08/13/2026

08/11/2026

08/09/2026

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