The Thinking Dog family has welcomed a new member, Guiding Eyes Hildy. Or Hil, Hilly, Hillary … or maybe Hayley. Miss H is Deni’s new guide dog from Guiding Eyes for the Blind, and she arrived at the end of November!

Whatever Deni ends up calling her, she’s off to a very promising start.

Hildy is a creative problem-solver and a bubbly and affectionate pup, wrapped in a compact black Lab body. She’s been with Deni for just over a week as I write this and has already explored some of St. Petersburg’s best restaurants, shops, and parks, as well as visiting the airport, the vet, and, of course, the dog beach.

Hildy shares many characteristics with Alberta, Deni’s first Guiding Eyes dog: Her sense of humor; her willingness to try new things; her silly, licky, wriggly love for physical contact; and a penchant for sitting with her hands crossed during rare moments of calm.

That may be because they are closely related: Hildy’s grandma is Alberta’s half-sister!

Hildy loves toys; a favorite is a squeaky koala. She likes to be challenged and is already a bit bored with the morning walk along the waterfront. She was delighted with the dog beach, unsurprisingly. After an moment of hesitation, she entered the water cautiously — and within a minute, was racing up and down the surf, swimming, and splashing.

I hope that Deni and Hil…ly enjoy many years of working and playing together!

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