Behind the Name

We stumbled upon Guinness while shopping for snake food (don’t ask) at a pet store in Indiana. At the time we were both in school, in different states, living in apartments, with little time and even less money – that is, we were not equipped to have a puppy. But Lizzie’s heart melted when she saw the little fur ball curled up in the back corner of the kennel, while his puppy-sister repeatedly threw all four pounds of herself against the door in an attempt at freedom. Tyler firmly said no. Lizzie snuggled the fur ball close. Tyler paid the $100 adoption fee and the three left the store.

 

Guinness was named for his rich, black fur with hints of brown and accents of white; reminiscent of a well-poured glass of Guinness. He was a simple dog with an appetite only for love and company. Without complaint he quietly observed the farm fields of southern Illinois from the back seat as he travelled between Indiana and St. Louis, and he again bore the nine hour drive between St. Louis and St. Paul. He was quietly present for the birth of our twins, and quickly became their protector and comforter. He tagged along to Wisconsin and welcomed another baby into his herd. Despite his love for deep snow and cold weather, he hardly fussed when we packed up the house and moved to central Iowa. Our clearance puppy crisscrossed the Midwest with us – always there, never in need of anything more than our love and a belly rub.

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We said goodbye to Guinness in the fall of 2022, at the same time we were working to turn our passion for roasting coffee into a small business. Our mission is to share our love for coffee with our friends and neighbors, and it seemed only fitting to pay tribute to Guinness, our Midwest Dog, who gave us every ounce of his love and enriched our lives so wonderfully.