Last fall, in the midst of the day to day drop offs and pick ups and all that daily life ensues, something caught my eye in the Caribou Coffee drive thru in Monticello. A giant Saint Bernard said in the passenger seat, his head and paws hanging over the door and outside and blue goggles over his eyes. It certainly made me smile and then it became my mission to see how often I could spot him.
It seems I’m not alone as “Mauer” sightings are the newest craze in the Monticello and Big Lake area. Mauer the Saint Bernard is making quite the impression on local residents.
That’s one of the reasons Raeanna Nowacki started a Facebook page for Mauer. “There’s always so much negativity and bad stuff in the world and on Facebook, Mauer’s page is always positive. I love hearing that he’s made someone’s day,” she said.
Raeanna and her husband, Nick already had two dogs and two children before they added Mauer to the mix. “Our other Saint Bernard, Dozer, is 12 and I thought it would be nice to have him help train the puppy. My husband said no but he didn’t know I already had talked to the breeder,” Raeanna said.
Thus the newest dog in the family got his name. “Nick’s a huge Twins fan so we decided on Mauer.”
Mauer is two years old and in many ways just like a toddler. He loves to go on car rides [the goggles are to keep gunk out of his eyes], already recognizes Caribou [he gets a whip cream cup with dog treats] and gets very excited about meeting new people.
While some two year old dogs might be in puppy training, Mauer is in therapy training currently at Avaquin Acres in Maple Grove. Eventually he will be a READ therapy dog in schools. “Kids will be able to read to him and he won’t judge or correct them,” she explained.
Raeanna enjoys bringing Mauer along with her in the car because it’s a way for Mauer to calm down and just seeing him enjoy people watching so much. The thrill that Mauer sightings brings others is just the icing on the cake.
“Starting a Facebook page was suggested to me multiple times and I finally took the plunge and decided that I would post things from Mauer’s perspective instead of mine. And always keep it positive,” she added.
You can see Mauer the Saint Bernard around the Monticello, Big Lake and Buffalo area or follow his adventures on Facebook.com/mauerthedog.