In Hershey, life has a way of feeling both easy and full. Everything Rachel Teller might need is close at hand—grocery stores, favorite restaurants, weekend markets, the theater, scenic streets for walking, and plenty of places for visiting relatives to find without fuss. For Rachel , that convenience has shaped nearly two decades of daily life, but the real heart of home has often arrived on four oversized paws. Barbossa, a Saint Bernard with a sunny disposition, and Soze, a Great Dane with a watchful streak, have helped define life in Hershey: loyal, lively, and stitched together by small, memorable routines.

     Both dogs fit the classic “gentle giant” description, though each carries it differently. Barbossa, born in 2017, is happy-go-lucky and affectionate, the kind of dog who is always ready for an ear rub or a scratch on the back. There is a softness to her presence that makes her feel instantly familiar, as if she were made for family rooms and slow afternoons. Soze, who joined Rachel and her late husband in 2018, brought a different energy. Named after Keyser Soze from The Usual Suspects, she had a protective instinct and a commanding presence that made it very clear when someone was near the house. As Rachel jokes, the windows proved remarkably sturdy when the mail carrier came into view. Yet beneath that protective streak was a dog deeply attached to her people, with a sweet habit of carrying around a beloved BarkBox chicken or adopting stuffed animals as if they were her own babies.

     Their stories are rooted in both intention and chance. After moving to Hershey and adopting a Saint Bernard through the Humane Society of Harrisburg, the Tellers stayed connected to the world of Saint Bernard breeders and eventually welcomed Barbossa through a breeder in Hazleton. Soze came later, after the loss of her father, when a friend mentioned a Great Dane litter with a few puppies still available. What could have been a simple addition became a perfect fit. In time, the dogs formed a close-knit pack, and their bond became one of the defining rhythms of the household. That sense of closeness only deepened when Rachel welcomed a baby in 2024. Understandably, there was some nervousness at first. But Barbossa and Soze responded the way gentle giants often do—with curiosity, patience, and growing tenderness.

     That tenderness fits naturally into the pace of life in Hershey. This is a town where neighborhood walks still matter, where next-door neighbors toss treats over the fence and have the dogs trained to sit before they receive them, and where local favorites become part of family tradition. There are trips to the Fresh Market, the Hershey Farmer’s Market, Market on Chocolate, and the occasional night at the Hershey Theatre. There are neighborhood strolls and outings near Swatara Creek. There is also Playful Pups in Elizabethtown, a beloved daycare and boarding spot the dogs have attended since the pandemic, where Soze in particular built her own circle of canine friends. In a place known for convenience and charm, these routines are what make daily life feel rooted.

     In the end, Barbossa and Soze are more than memorable dogs with cinematic names. They are part of the texture of Rachel Teller’s Hershey life built over 20 years: the scenic neighborhood, the familiar stops around town, the comfort of home, and the deep attachment that grows between pets and the people they love. One is easygoing, one more vigilant, but together they embody the same thing—the steady, oversized devotion that turns ordinary days into stories worth telling. In a town where everything is within 15 minutes, the best part of coming home for Rachel might still be the two large welcome "wagons" waiting at the door.