08/17/2026
🌴😎Plantation Bay Pet(s) of the Week!😎🌴
TOBY: THE FURRY LITTLE MAN WHO HAS A LOT TO SAY📢
There are dogs who wake up in the morning, stretch politely, have a little breakfast, and calmly begin their day. And then there is Toby. Toby wakes up every morning like he has just been released from prison after serving a 47-year sentence. “GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY! I’M AWAKE! WHO WANTS TO SNUGGLE? WHO WANTS TO WALK? WHO WANTS TO HEAR EVERYTHING I HAVE TO SAY?!” Toby is a 15-month-old Shih Tzu–Dachshund mix, which is basically what happens when you combine a teddy bear, a hot dog, and a teenage boy who just realized there are no snacks in the house. He is approximately 30% dog and 70% “EXCUSE ME, I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY.”
Now, Toby LOVES other dogs. LOVES them. Unfortunately, Toby has not yet learned the delicate art of making a normal introduction. Most dogs walk up and say, “Hey, how are you?” Toby walks up like he just won the Super Bowl. “HEY! HI! WHAT’S YOUR NAME?! I LOVE YOU! ARE WE BEST FRIENDS?! WANNA RUN?! WANNA WRESTLE?! WANNA START A BUSINESS TOGETHER?!” His enthusiasm is tremendous. His social volume is approximately a 12. His personal-space awareness is currently being negotiated by lawyers. He is working very hard on learning appropriate ways to attract friends, and while he still occasionally comes in like a furry wrecking ball, he is learning. Slowly. Beautifully. Hilariously.
And then there are the snacks. Ohhhh, the snacks. Toby has the soul of a starving teenager who has just opened the refrigerator and discovered someone ate the last pizza. He looks at food like he has been wandering the desert for three days. “You’re eating? Interesting. I, too, would like to eat.” He will follow a human around with the determination of a private investigator who has just been handed the biggest case of his career. Yet somehow, beneath all that energy, all that talking, all that “HELLO, I REQUIRE ATTENTION,” is one of the sweetest little love bugs around. He absolutely adores his morning snuggles and daily walks, and when he settles in for affection, this ridiculous little guy can melt a heart faster than butter on a hot sidewalk.
Toby came to their family after being re-homed from another family, and the last two months have been a pretty big adventure for this little dude. He has experienced a lot of change, and through it all, he has worked so incredibly hard. He is a quick learner, he wants to please, and every day he is figuring out a little more about how to navigate this strange people-and-dog world. His family is unbelievably proud of how far he has come. Toby may still occasionally enter a room with the energy of a kid who drank three energy drinks and found a megaphone, but he is learning, growing, and becoming the wonderful boy he was always meant to be. And honestly? The world needs a little more Toby. Just maybe with the volume turned down two clicks.
🥰 Mom & Dad ~ Shannon & Ed Bisher
💓 Would you like your fuzzy baby in the spotlight? Have a donation to the Animal Shelters/Rescues? Contact Tina at Plantation Bay Dog Walking + Cats (413) 427-6328