Becoming a dog parent is one of the most fulfilling experiences in anyone’s life. Sometimes, when you least expect it, a dog will change your world entirely. Some you can go on a hike with, and others, to an outdoor café. While all dogs have different levels of potential, some are more suited than others towards outdoor adventures. This is the story of Wilson and his mom, Vely, who raised an adventurous dog by giving him exposure to life.
From the moment they met, dogs have always been a part of Vely and her husband Dan’s life. Before Vely got Wilson, the couple had two dogs, Jaxen, a Golden Retriever, and Roxy, a Chihuahua Mix. Dan adopted Jaxen as a puppy in 2008 from an elderly couple that had an unplanned litter. Vely adopted Roxy in 2011 from a friend who also had an unplanned litter. Isn’t it amazing how pleasant accidents end up bringing so much joy in our lives? For all those years, they were the average couple with two family dogs.
Vely and Dan married in 2015. They were interested in adopting a dog together, but didn’t actively search for one for some time. They thought that just like Roxy and Jaxen came into their lives serendipitously, another dog would pop into their lives just like that.
Welcoming Wilson to the Family
And it really happened! In 2019, Vely was contacted by a friend to see if she wanted a puppy that was supposed to be sold at a puppy store. However, the little pup’s leg had been fractured at two months of age, which was reason enough to take him off the roster. Being the dog lover that she is, Vely was not about to let this opportunity go. And so, in August of 2019 Mr. Wilson Arthur became a member of the family. The mom-and-pup duo immediately developed a connection and inseparable bond. Vely knew Wilson was her forever heart dog.
Wherever they would go, Wilson was the center of attention, and his name was always a conversation starter. This was reason enough for Vely to keep the name he was given. Right away, Vely noticed that Wilson was a little different than all the other dogs. Not only was he energetic, but he had the ability to learn new commands after one or two sessions. Every day became a new adventure!
Wilson Goes Social on Instagram
After sharing pictures of Wilson one day on Facebook, Vely’s friends encouraged her to start an Instagram for him. So, in January of 2020, Vely decided to give it a try and created Wilson’s very own Instagram handle @mr.wilson_toyaussie.
Instagram is a wonderful, informative platform when it comes to being a dog parent. Vely would post daily pictures of Wilson and soon he had a big following of other dogs. This opened a world of learning about the best food, treats, and toys for dogs that Dan and Vely were unaware of previously. It also sparked Vely’s interest in learning how to train Wilson and teach him fascinating tricks.
Soon after starting that Instagram page for Wilson, Vely came across posts and accounts of dog parents taking their dogs on outdoor activities. There would be stories and posts of people going on adventures and families hiking or camping with their family dogs. These posts then inspired her to go on fun adventures with Wilson always by her side. Wilson became the family’s adventure dog. They started hiking, going to beaches, and frequently visiting pet-friendly stores and restaurants around Lakeland and the Tampa area, while posting about all their adventures.
Wilson’s Adventure Begins
The more she exposed Wilson to places around town, Vely noticed that he was a well behaved pup and easy to travel with. Some dogs are just built for the outdoors and soon, Wilson became a local celebrity. Vely even took Wilson sheep herding!
It wasn’t like Vely and Dan hadn’t traveled before. They had always enjoyed traveling and even went to Japan once. But Vely soon realized that Wilson was her heart and soul and she didn’t want to experience the world without him. Just like parents of human kids, Vely wanted Wilson to experience their adventures together as a family.
When Jaxen passed away in November of 2020, Dan was absolutely heartbroken. Before Jaxen passed, Dan knew he couldn’t live without a Golden Retriever in his life. Jaxen was Dan’s heart dog and his soft gentle nature made him fall in love with the breed. Dan and Vely searched for months and went from shelter to shelter in the hopes of finding a Golden puppy.
With no luck, serendipity would once again happen to this family, and this time Vely stumbled upon a Border Collie that was up for adoption through a rescue. After going through an extensive adoption process that involved hundreds of applications, in Nov of 2020 they were the chosen as the adoptable family. The year-and-a-half pup who they named Astrid (from the movie Crazy Rich Asians), became the third member of the pack.
Dan still desired to have a Golden Retriever, so for months they searched rescue sites, which often required them to be on a waiting list. Some mentioned that it could take up to 6 months to a year to be selected for a Golden. In April of 2021, Vely found a Golden puppy from a breeder in Georgia and decided it would be Dan’s birthday present. They named him Korben Dallas from the 5th Element, and he became the fourth member of the pack.
Since Vely and Dan include Wilson in all their travel plans, Wilson tagged along on the 15-hour roundtrip to Georgia to pick up his little brother, Korben. Previously, he vacationed in Robbinsville, North Carolina, Key West and Las Vegas. Our ambassador Wilson’s travel adventures began with a 7-hour road trip to Key West, where he even did some skateboarding. This travel pup has also been on a 9-hour road trip to North Carolina, where he enjoyed hiking adventures in Bryson City and Graham County. He also flew on a plane to Las Vegas, Nevada, where he visited the Grand Canyon and went hiking in Red Rock Canyon.
Wilson Becomes a Dog Model
A lot has happened in Wilson’s life since that very first post on Instagram. Initially, Wilson’s fame opened the doors to a modeling career for brands like Lucyand.co and Jibycrew. He is currently a brand Ambassador for Mountain Shiba, lucyand.co, jibycrew and Benson’s Canine Cookies, just to name a few. His influencer status has landed him one-time modeling gigs with many local and national companies. Wilson is the face of “Adventure Pup” on mountainshiba.com and has been featured on other websites such as Nordstrom and Petsmart.
“It doesn’t matter where your furry family member is from. Whether they be country dogs, city dogs, or even suburban dogs – it’s about giving them exposure.”
Vely has realized that being around dogs and working with them is her passion. She has helped motivate thousands of followers to seek outdoor adventures. Her training techniques have helped many dog parents along the way. Today, Vely posts regular Instagram reels about dog training and engages with her followers by providing tips and tricks. Wilson has taught her many valuable lessons, but most importantly, it sparked her desire of becoming a dog trainer. In the last year, she has worked tirelessly with Wilson and Astrid, who are now her performing stars. They both are avid dog sports participants and have competed in many events, locally and around central Florida.
Wilson currently holds his AKC Canine Good Citizen title and Novice Trick title. He obtained the BCAT title in Fast Cat. Astrid is a natural at sports and has earned her BCAT title. Currently she is working towards her trick titles. These sports pups plan to compete in herding trials in the near future, which involves frequent herding lessons.
They’ve been busy – from traveling, training, adventuring and the addition of two pups to their pack, Wilson has played a key role in Vely’s journey. Together, they inspire their community with their message of positivity.
As for Dan and Vely’s future goals, they plan to own an RV and visit every state with all four of their dogs. Doesn’t that sound amazing? The Mountainshiba team will certainly look forward to hearing about their adventures and celebrate their journey as they travel America.
Follow Wilson and Vely’s adventures on Instagram
About Vely: Trick Trainer & Dog Enthusiast: Learn More
