Our Bestest Doodle: The story of Oakley
A number of guests have asked where the name “Oakley’s Oasis” came from, and we thought it was time to share a bit of the backstory… Growing up I had always wanted a Golden Retriever, because, well, they are just awesome and happy! But despite the awesome personality, Goldens also come with not-so-awesome hair shedding. As I became older and wiser, I learned that I didn’t really want to deal with all that hair mess. When Emily suggested getting a Goldendoodle, I was skeptical but excited. I wasn’t very keen on the Poodle part, but I was optimistic about bringing some Golden into my life. My wife got her way (and I’m glad she did!), and Oakley frolicked his way into our lives.
Our First Fur-Baby:
Oakley was a stinker from day one, and he only got into more trouble from there. (Think “Marley and Me” kind of stuff.) Despite his antics, he went everywhere with us, and we even set a goal to visit every state park with him. We learned to appreciate how to train and grow with him, and definitely had some interesting days. Emily and I grew closer in our relationship with the responsibility of raising our fur-baby together – dealing with bowel blowouts destroying our carpet, massive holes in the backyard, and anxiety vomit on every car ride. Although he was naughty, he left so many vivid memories we laugh about now. He was so loving, so unique, and he truly established our family’s hashtag: #TeamPoodles!
Grateful through Grief:
One of the worst phone calls of my life was hearing Emily sobbing telling me about the sudden and tragic loss of our Oakley Poo. Although it was almost 2 years ago now, it still hurts. Trauma tends to stick around, but I can look at all of the great things that have come from raising and loving our fluffy boy. We truly believe that Oakley brought us our 2 GoldenDoodle girls, and they have healed our hearts more than we ever thought possible. Although the team has changed membership, #TeamPoodles will carry on the goal of hiking each state park. Our tragic loss also made us more reflective on the things that really matter, and this reflection inspired the mission of Dharma Dwellings. We want each of our guests to feel at home and cared for no matter the circumstances of the visit.
The Reimagining of Oakley’s Oasis:
You may not know, but Oakley’s Oasis was our primary residence for about 2 years – a place where we lived and loved with Oakley. During our time in the home, we made some drastic changes! We broke down the wall between the kitchen and the living room to give an open concept feel, unearthed beautiful wood floors, and added a sunny sliding glass door. There is limited amount of photos from this renovation, as Keith did the majority of the work while I was down in Davenport for school, but we can offer a glimpse at the transformation. We attempted to breathe new life into this charming 40’s home. You can see the fully renovated space under the Oakley’s Oasis tab. Please enjoy spring as new life reminds each of us to be grateful for love past and present!
