About Calvin James

The Story of Calvin James

Back in 2013, we had just lost our family dog. My girls were 4 and 9 years old, and we knew we wanted to bring another dog into our home. But finding the right one wasn’t easy.

One day, we saw an ad for a dog named Calvin. He had been rescued from a kill shelter, and his picture looked so sad. The caption said he was gentle, and something about him just felt right. We decided to adopt him.

Calvin James turned out to be the best dog our family could’ve ever hoped for. He had his quirks — he didn’t like walking on a leash, was scared of cars and trucks, and he barked loud enough to scare a few people. But he was also the sweetest, most loving dog.

Since he didn’t like walks much, we worried about how to keep him active and happy. He loved tearing apart stuffed toys and eating squeakers, so that wasn’t the best way to keep him engaged. Then we found dog puzzles — and he absolutely loved them.

Watching Calvin work on his puzzles was amazing. These toys not only kept him entertained, but they also gave his brain a workout, helped reduce his boredom, and eased his anxiety. It was clear he felt proud and satisfied when he figured out how to get the treats hidden inside. That mental stimulation made a big difference in his mood and energy.

We kept buying more and more puzzles, filling a whole cupboard with them — hence we now have “Calvin’s Cupboard.”

We created this store in his memory, hoping to help other dogs find the same happiness and mental stimulation that Calvin did. And maybe, just maybe, help rescue more dogs into loving homes like Calvin found with us.