Tours are given by appointment
between the hours of
10:30 am. - 2:00 pm. 
Please call to arrange a visit
to Top Dog! (952)353-2600
Arrival and departure hours:
7-10 a.m. & 4-7 p.m. daily

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The Night Before Christmas

Dec 24, 2015

Dog in Santa Hat

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through Top Dog,
you could hear the pups snoring, and snorting like hogs!
Their collars were hung on the gates of their suites,
in anticipation of morning, and play time and treats.
The Collies were snuggled, all nestled in their beds,
while visions of herding sheep, danced in their heads.
And
Reilly with his tennis ball, and Aussie with his bone,
just settled down for “yappy hour”, wishing this was their home.
When morning arrived,
Ruby arose to howling and pitter patter.
Bailey &Brinkley sprang from their beds, to see what was the matter.
Away to the window,
Norman flew like a flash,
tripped over his kibble, and stepped on top of
Cash.
The toys in the toy box, and the piles of new-fallen snow,
brought smiles to
Mikko & Snap, Where’s Landis ? . . . I don’t know!
When what to
Aldo’s wondering eyes should appear,
but auntie Jean, a sleigh, and eight tiny “Sheltie-Deer”
With
Cricket in the lead, so lively and quick,
we knew in a moment, she was a great pick.
More rapid than
Louie these Sheltie-Deer came,
and she whistled, and shouted, and called them by name.
"Now,
Cricket!    Now, Ziggy!    Now, Louie and Brayden!
On, Rebel!  On Chaos!  On, Stormy and Simba!
From the top of the sheep shed, over the pond we heard her call,
now Dash away!  Dash away!  Dash away all!"
As their fur flows in the wind, and the snowflakes do fly,
the Shelties bark and howl, and then ‘hup to the sky.
With
Mork & Quinn & Blu, saying “me too”!,
a sleigh full of toys, the Sheltie-Deer and Auntie Jean flew!
And then with a twinkle,
Tucker & Zelda listened in awe,
at the Shelties, and their howling, and the prancing of each little paw.
As
Milly & Gertie turned around,
down the chimney they came, to this doggy club they found.

Lyla rolled and she shook, from her nose to her tail.
Her knees and hocks wobbled, as she tripped over a pail.
A bundle of toys,
Calvin found in the sack,
and he howled and he howled to summon the pack.

Charlie’s eyes -- how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
Toby’s cheeks were quivering, and he looked kind of scary!
Pepa’s droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
and the beard on
Carter’s chin was as white as the snow.
The ball and the bone
Roscoe held tight in his teeth.
Lilly Mae’s new collar, encircled her head like a wreath.
With
Lulu Belle’s broad face, and Tucker’s round belly,
Cooper shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
Was it
Bubba or Kelsie, or Coconut or Dixie,
that ran to them first, and begged for a treat?
A wink of
Edith’s eye, and a twist of Deputy’s head,
we clearly got the message, we should all be in bed.
The Shelties made not a sound, but went straight to their work,
and filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
They herded one another, with a nip of their nose,
and with a nod from auntie Jean, up the chimney they rose.
They sprang to the sleigh, to her team Jean gave a whistle,
and away they all flew, like they’d been poked with a thistle.
But I heard Auntie Jean say, as they flew out of sight,

       "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

 

                             Jean Beuning