Dog News

Dog Finds New Job as Hotel Ambassador

by ADMIN

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smudgeSmudge is a very friendly and playful dog. So much so that she flunked out of seeing eye dog training. However, the same characteristics that caused her to flunk out have made her perfect for her new job greeting guests as they check in to the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald in Edmonton.

When a guest checks in at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald Smudge is there wagging her tail and welcoming them to the hotel.

“Smudge’s role is to greet guests as they come in…getting that nice greeting to make sure you feel like you’re at home,” said general manager Garret Turta.

Smudge is also available for guests who want to take her for a walk. Smudge is part of Fairmont Luxury Hotels & Luxury Resorts program which provides dogs to the hotels to interact with guests. This is the third hotel Smudge has worked for.

Originally Smudge was training to be a guide dog, but her overly-friendly nature prevented that.

“She’s a career-change dog,” Turta said. “Smudge wasn’t going to pass her test to be a guide dog. Fairmont works with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind for guide dogs and she’s come to work at our hotels. She’s a little too friendly…which is perfect for us here.”

Turta adopted Smudge in 2009 and when she’s not greeting guests at the hotel she lives at home with Turta and his family.

“She has a regular life as a dog and plays fetch in the backyard,” says Turta.