Dane mix sees shadowy side of a groundhog

Meet Hazel, a “pint-sized” and always playful Dane-St. Bernard mix from New Jersey.

Nationwide members John A. and Jessica T. set out in search of a big dog to match their big capacity for love. They had their sights set on a few select big dog breeds but soon discovered that finding a pup that would fit their criteria was easier said than done.

“When we decided that we were moving back to new Jersey, John decided that this was his time to get a dog,” Jessica remembers. “I really wanted a German Shepherd. He really wanted a Doberman.”

“I wanted a big dog,” John confirms.

Most importantly, they wanted a rescue dog. The couple went to meet another dog who they ultimately didn't connect with, and by chance they ended up meeting Hazel.

“She was literally pulling one of their volunteers down the hill,” John says. “She came over and was the nicest dog ever. Like completely laying her full body on me … I was like, ‘I think I want this one,’ and Jessica said, ‘Oh yeah.’”

Despite the huge possibilities in her breed mix, Hazel was something of a runt—only tipping the scales at 90 pounds. What she lacks in super-extra-large size, she makes up in love. John says, "You can have the worst day ever. And it's like, ‘Well, at least Hazel’s home.’"

Hazel loves all animals—cats, dogs, deer, even bears—but sadly not all animals love her back, as illustrated by a dustup with a backyard rodent that inspired this Hambone nod.

What happened?

For days prior to the incident, Hazel focused on investigating a small hole in the yard. The couple didn’t think much about it until one day when she started digging vigorously near that spot.

“She doesn't really dig outside. It's not really her thing,” John says. “Then, she went into a downward dog pose and jumped up in the air—like literally did like a 360—and boom, bolted out into the yard.” Where she was digging, John saw a perfect groundhog hole. “I realized, ‘Oh, that's what she's doing. She's like trying to play with this poor little groundhog,” he recalls.

Everything seemed normal until hours later, when Jessica discovered a spot of blood on the couch. They found another, then a trail of drops. When they checked Hazel over in search of a source, they located a mysterious round puncture on her paw. “I knew exactly what happened,” John continues. “I looked up groundhog teeth online and said ‘Yep.’”

“You could match it up perfectly,” Jessica adds.

John and Jessica were concerned that Hazel could contract rabies or get a nasty infection from her wildlife encounter. They took her to the veterinarian, where she was treated for the bite. Luckily, she made a quick recovery, and Nationwide covered her eligible veterinary bills.

Since then, Hazel's pet parents have adopted an extra-large shepherd-husky mix, so she’s more focused on her giant brother than backyard wildlife (not to mention the other family foster pets who have since entered the picture).

How Nationwide helped

John and Jessica initially got pet insurance following an expensive medical experience with another pet. John says, “It was like, ‘Okay, everyone's getting covered now.’” They did their research and found that Nationwide came highly recommended from multi-pet families on Reddit. They’re glad that they made that choice.

“Everything that we need is covered, based on our plan,” he continues. “[Nationwide is] reliable and allows us to have peace of mind for all the animals that we have. We never have to think about whether we can pay or if we should take them.”

For John and Jessica, that peace of mind translates into easy decision making in stressful situations.

Jessica adds, “It used to be like, ‘Should we take them to the vet?’ Now, it’s more like, ‘We might as well take them.’”