Dogs truly are a man’s best friend, and that’s clearly evident when you see Upper School English teacher David Hild with his new puppy, Josie. After only being at KO for about a month and a half, Josie seems to be fitting in just right.
As everyone knows, KO and the Hild family lost their beloved Cali in late November of 2023. Her smile and loving energy always filled up a room, and without her running up and down the Seaverns hallway, students and faculty could definitely feel the hole left behind in our small community. “My wife knew that getting another dog wouldn’t replace Cali, but it would make me much happier,” Mr. Hild said.
The couple was on Nantucket during December break when they noticed a puppy walking down the street that looked a lot like Cali. “My wife asked the couple where they got their dog from, and they directed us to a breeder up in Maine.” When Mr. Hild called, the breeder told him that she didn’t have any newborn puppies at the moment, but that she did have a puppy she was planning on keeping and training to be a show dog.
After a little convincing and sharing their story of sweet Cali, the woman decided to give them the dog. Just like that, this little golden retriever was on her way to West Hartford.
One thing that is very noticeable about Josie is how gentle she is. “She loves to play, there’s no question about that,” Mr. Hild said, “but she’s definitely very calm.” Because the breeder had intended to keep and show her, Josie was extremely well-behaved from the start. “She’s very good about sitting and staying and coming when I call her,” Mr. Hild said. Part of that might be because she had about a month of training before the Hilds adopted her, but a lot of it is just her personality and temperament.
Students’ reactions to Josie have been phenomenal. “Kids will come down during free periods to just play with her and hold her,” Mr. Hild said, “and it’s a lot of the same students who would come down to see Cali.” Some kids have even taken her on walks around the green.
One of Mr. Hild’s advisees, senior Ava Cashman, loves having Josie on campus. “I’ve seen tour groups come through when Josie is outside and you can just see everyone’s faces light up,” she said. “She’s been such a positive force on our campus and she’s done a great job of helping heal the hole that Cali left.”
Senior Georgia Louis, another one of Mr. Hild’s advisees, echoed these sentiments. “Josie has been a really great addition to our campus,” she said. Georgia had also recently rescued a golden retriever puppy around Josie’s age, so she brought her in one day, and the two of them had a great time running around the Seaverns hallway and playing. “Students will stop in during advisee to see her and it is obvious that everyone loves her,” Georgia shared.
One of Mr. Hild’s favorite things about Josie is her eagerness to come to school. “Similar to Cali, after coming to school for a couple of days, she knows we’re coming here so she’ll run to the car in the morning,” he said, “and the second we get to school, she’s sprinting down the hallway to see the kids.”
Clearly, Josie is a perfect fit for our school. Whether it’s students flooding into Mr. Hild’s office to see her or teachers showering her with affection during passing times, Josie is definitely making herself comfortable here at KO. “My wife was very right,” Mr. Hild said. “I will always love Cali, but now I have room in my heart to love Josie too.”
