Introducing the Minkology Shop Dogs!

By Sarah Hurley

If you’ve walked into Minkology sometime in the last four years, chances are that you’ve been greeted by a furry, four-legged friend. Our loyal shop dogs, Aubbie, Deacon, and Louis, are all beloved family pets and hard-working Minkologists—even if they sometimes prefer napping to greeting our customers with a friendly bark and wagging tail. But regardless of whether they are feeling lazy, rambunctious, or particularly sweet on any given day, they always have a way of bringing joy to those who enter our doors.

Aubusson Mink—Aubbie, for short—is our eldest shop dog at three and a half years old. Born on March 17, Aubbie is a St. Patrick’s Day baby. A purebred Llewellin English Setter, Aubbie was one in a litter of seven pups, the most reserved of his siblings by far. Even as a puppy, his instincts were always to protect those around him, and he maintained his stoic nature long after joining Ross and Wendi’s family.

Deacon Blues—any Steely Dan fans?—a Llewellin English Setter, Irish Setter, and Golden Retriever mix, is the second-oldest shop dog here at Minkology. At two and a half, Deacon belongs to Ross and Wendi’s son Erich. Deacon absolutely loves people, and his major goal in life is to make everyone around him as happy as possible. (He usually succeeds!) He thinks that fetch is the best game in the world, and that everyone should be playing it all the time—indoors and outdoors, rain or shine!

Aubbie and Deacon are the best of friends, but since Erich no longer lives with his parents, the two dogs don’t get to spend as much time together as they would like. When Ross and Wendi noticed that Aubbie seemed sad without Deacon around, they decided to adopt another dog to keep him company. After fostering a few times with the Triad Golden Retriever Rescue (some of you might remember seeing George or Maddy, their foster dogs, around the shop earlier this year!), they ultimately decided to adopt another English Setter from Aubbie’s breeder.

At just eleven weeks old, Louis Mink is the newest addition to Ross and Wendi’s family and the Minkology team. Dubbed “Chewy Louis” for his propensity to gnaw on anything and everything in reach, including furniture, merchandise, tape, and broom bristles, Louis has quickly become an integral member of the team. Under the impression that he needs to be held and petted 24/7, Louis is perhaps the most spoiled of Minkology’s shop dogs. But we don’t hold it against him! He’s too cute to begrudge a little puppy love.

Aubbie, Deacon, and Louis are beloved fixtures of Minkology’s culture, and we love meeting our customers’ furry friends, too. If you didn’t know, Minkology is a 100% dog-friendly establishment, meaning that you can bring your pets into the shop whenever you like. In fact, we have a special box of treats set aside for our four-legged visitors, as well as a section of merchandise for all of your pet-related needs.

So, the next time you take your dogs on a walk down Sunset Avenue, feel free to stop by and say hello! Aubbie, Deacon, and Louis love greeting humans and fellow pups alike. So does our team of (two-legged) Minkologists, who are always here to help you pick out the perfect gifts, home furnishings, and more. We hope to see you soon!