Mike Butler
Those eyes. That wagging tail. That fun, playful, rascal-like attitude towards life. That love for any human who comes close. No, I am not talking about myself, I am talking about a puppy: Kylo the Phantom Effects Super Haunt Dog!
They call it puppy love, and anyone who meets, greets, and eventually plays with Kylo is instantly in love with this cute little guy! Kylo is a 3-year-old Jack Russell Terrier who was born in the Wolfville area. In a short period Kylo has become the furry-faced mascot of one of the coolest businesses in the Valley, and he has some special news to share with everyone.
“I am the fur son to the owners of Phantom Effects Special Effects Makeup, Aaron and Jaimie Peerless of Kentville,” Kylo explains. “They adopted me when I was 8 weeks old and the connection was instant; after two short days I had merged my habits and clock to theirs. When I was a puppy, I was very smart. My mom read that it’s not a good idea to train a puppy under 6 months, so she took the time when I was supposed to be playing and being a puppy to teach me all the fun tricks in the book. We made games and created obstacle courses around the house. When I turned 6 months old, she instilled my good manners and recall. I am a registered emotional therapy dog and my sensitive nature makes me very much in tune with the emotional state of my parents as well as others around me. I am always good for a little love and a cuddle. Prior to COVID-19 I was a regular visitor at the local hospitals; I made people cry happy tears.”
Don’t you just love him even more now? Wait, there’s more!
Kylo’s main job is to calm his parents and their clients with his dark brown eyes and endless puppy love. He usually attends all of their internal appointments as well as all of their theatre productions, festivals, special events, and their signature event, the Phantom’s FreakShow Haunted House. Since Kylo has been involved in lots of different social scenarios, he is well socialized and knows how to read the energy in the room, and he can separate play time from work time. A dog with time management skills? No way!
In his parents’ field of work, there is no off time for Kylo, it’s dog-eat-dog (but not literally!). Kylo has been spending the past few months in the basement of the Main Street Station (formerly the Cornwallis Inn) in Kentville. This is the NEW location the Phantom’s FreakShow Haunted House. “They’ve spent a lot of time building the halls into a perfect nightmare,” he barks. “Each room is movie set quality and their attention to detail is second to no other haunted house in Nova Scotia. The Main Street Station is my home away from home; my parents not only have their haunted house in this building, they also have their studio in this space so pop by and pet me!”
Kylo also never fails to make a grand appearance at each of his mom’s famous living art portraits, which are completed in their studio space. He woofs, “I love hanging out with her and learning more about her clients as I get random cuddles and lap time. I am a very good boy while my mom is working on the makeup, but as soon as the lights come on for the photo session, I know it’s my time to shine. I like to get in on every portrait and pose like a proper show dog; I love getting my close up. I have cut into so many of the portraits that my mommy started my own Instagram account to share my many adventures and beautiful friends (@kylopuppy13). Follow me, even though I’d rather follow you around!”
As you can see from my living art portrait as Vincent Van Gogh, Kylo even outshines me! Contact Jaimie Peerless (jaimiecorbin@hotmail.com) for your own living art portrait with surprise guest Kylo the haunt dog! It’s a super fun thing to do!
The Valley has become a puppy Mecca with so many dog lovers, walking trails, and outdoor areas for dogs and their owners. Kylo’s days are filled with adventure, new faces, and new experiences. He loves sniffing around a place that’s filled with open spaces, expansive beaches, and so many wonderful people. The Valley supports creativity and encourages people to think outside the box, and Kylo’s parents get invited to lots of new and exciting things that make his life so enriched. He’s always finding new friends along the way. Life in the Valley is pretty good for this adorable Haunt Dog!
Kylo’s future is bound to be fun, spooky, and filled with love. He loves seeing all the faces at this year’s Phantom’s FreakShow Haunted House in Kentville, currently running throughout the month of October. Once this season gets wrapped up he will be excited to rest and get lots of cuddles. But until then, be sure to go visit him at the FreakShow this season and support the masterpiece that his parents created this year. More details can be found at phantomsfreakshow.com.
From this dog lover to all fur baby lovers , embrace your pets and enjoy your time together. With a great pet, anything is PAW-sible! Happy Haunting Season everyone!