Hi,
It started when I was very young–as a matter of fact, my first word was dog. To make a long story short I was playing with my, at the time, 5-year-old black Cocker Spaniel named Higgins. He loved to play fetch and one-day mom was unloading the car of groceries and I was sitting by the open door rolling the ball for Higgins, giggling and laughing at the fact that he always brought the ball right back to my feet. I rolled the ball a little too hard and it went right out the front door along with my dog, I couldn’t talk yet and started shrieking and crying and basically having a tiny breakdown because in my mind Higgins was gone forever. My mom ran to me picked me up and tried to figure out what was wrong.
I flailed so hard she almost dropped me as I reach for the door and screeched “DDDOOOOGGGGG!!!!” Mom looked out the door and realized that Higgins had run out. What seemed like hours (but really was only seconds) passed as I looked through my watery eyes and realized that the blurry black spot coming through the door was my faithful dog Higgins bringing the ball back just as he always did. It was then that my obsession with these four-legged fur balls were going to be a part of my life forever.
Once I was old enough, I started taking Higgins to dog training classes at the humane society, I took every class I could until Higgins was just too old to go anymore. He passed away one year after we graduated obedience 3 and I felt my heart break for the first time. But with every dog that passes, it gives you another chance to help a shelter dog by giving them a life they deserve–one free of cages. So about 6 months after Higgins died we went to the animal shelter to “look” and we ended up adopting a gleeful cookie colored German Shepherd I named Ginger Snap. I then took her through all the dog classes I could from basic obedience to agility, to canine good citizenship and everything I could possibly do with her. I started volunteering at the shelter after school so I could spend more time with dogs and learn everything that I could.
When I turned 16 and had a driver’s license I then got a job working at a veterinary clinic cleaning kennel’s, feeding and walking the dogs. I worked my way up to reception, then veterinary assistant, then veterinary technician and soon was side by side with the vet in some of the most fascinating surgeries. I worked in the veterinary field for about 7 years until I just couldn’t take the heartbreak that came along with it. I moved into canine dentistry because I had this incredible fascination with dog teeth and keeping them clean. I worked as a hygienist for about 2 years then discovered that you can do it without having to put the dog under anesthesia! I then worked for a company called Canine Care and traveled around to pet shops doing anesthesia-free teeth cleanings on my own. Unfortunately, the veterinary board shut down that practice I decided I was sick of working indoors and needed a new dog adventure, on top of that I just needed a job.
Before jumping into the pool of employment again, we decided to go with my parents on their weekend getaway to Tahoe. Unfortunately, there were no dogs allowed and my parents were my go to dog sitters. So the hunt began to find a dog kennel that I felt comfortable enough leaving my dogs at. You think that would be an easy task? HA! Funny. I must have looked at 7 different kennels–all had dark rooms, barking dogs, huge overcrowded play yard and not a lot of human/dog interaction. But I had to pick one.. so I did. And from the moment I left my two corgis to the moment I came back, I was sick to my stomach with worry. It was then on that vacations I knew exactly what I wanted to do! I wanted to start a dog boarding company that gave parents peace of mind when leaving their dogs for vacation or while they had to work. I wanted to create a home environment so the dogs and their parents felt comfortable and at ease. So I vowed to live by couches not kennels.
Soon came the launch of Bark N Barrel LLC, an elite dog hiking and training business that now has 3 employees and me. Given that dog training goes hand in hand with my business, I signed up for a dog training academy to further my knowledge in the dog training world. I also attended seminars, workshops and read all the books I could get my hands on from trainers of all different styles and backgrounds. Till this day I still attend seminars, workshops, and continue to further my knowledge in the dog training world.
I have now become good friends with so many of my clients that I hear the greatest story about how their dogs did this or how their dogs did that and they feel like they’re going crazy because their dog is an angel with me. Well, that’s why I am here to tell you stories, give you information and prove to you that YOU’RE NOT ALONE and there are plenty of people riding this same rollercoaster!
XX
D