I got the new 2009 Honda Element this weekend and its literally DOG HEAVEN!! I took 5 dogs to a meetup in the back of it on Saturday and it was amazing! TOTALLY WASHABLE, all rubber flooring, easy to clean everything, and SO fun to drive (this is my 4th Honda in a row, so I know they are great cars!). If you drive with your dogs, this is a MUST HAVE! Click below for more info!
2009 HONDA ELEMENT
Monday, April 27, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
BREW MIDWEST BEAGLEFEST COMING SOON!
We are sooooo excited to attend the B.R.E.W. Midwest Beaglefest again this year! This is our 4th year in a row! BREW is a tremendous organization for beagle rescue (BEAGLE RESCUE EDUCATION and WELFARE. . .). Please check out their site for more info about the BEAGLEFEST and the available beagles! Click on the link below for more info!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Some of my crew and the things we do on a typical day. . .
WRIGLEY the yellow Lab mix LOVES to carry a tennis ball in his mouth on our walks and LOVES to play fetch! MAXIE the Malitpoo loves to have sleepovers and play dress up (well, not really the dress up part, but she has so many cute outfits, we just HAD to try them on her!)
BO (Mr. Bojangles) the Golden Retriever cannot get enough of Oak Street Beach! He LOVES to play in the water, and he LOVES to dig in the sand!
ROXY the black Lab mix loves to go to the Kinzie dog park with her pal Wrigley everyday!
CHARLOTTE the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel loves to nap :)
RICKY the pugalicious Pug loves to have a cookie after his walk!
CHOPPER the big bully English Bulldog likes to watch TV. . .or his reflection in the screen. . .
CALLIE the pretty black Standard Poodle likes to run in the grass at the Kinzie/Des Plaines park!
PENNY the Beagle likes to roll around on the ground
POLLY the Westie loves to jump up and say hello. . .if she likes you, that is :)
ROCKY the Rat Terrier is "Ready for his Closeup. . ."
WHO WILL BE FEATURED TOMORROW????? CHECK BACK TO SEE!!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Everlasting Treat Ball
My pal Charlie, pictured here, and his fabulous owner Jeff, first turned me on to the idea of the Everlasting Treat Ball. When I started walking Charlie (who is just a little spoiled :)), I noticed he had a few of these seemingly indestructible rubber balls and a fire plug looking thing with holes for treats. Better than a Kong, because nothing gets jammed in there, and seemed to keep Charlie busy for long periods of time! I would fill the ball with treats on my way out from our walk, and watch him obsessively push the ball until the treats rolled out. Genius! They are virtually indestructible toys, but come in a variety of sizes to suit all dogs! The best part is that there are little "cookie caps" as I call them, that go on the ends to "hold" the treats inside. So basically, your dog has to get through the cookies on the end to even get to the treats you put inside! Brilliant?? Yes. Unless you have a brainiac rat terrier like I have, who pops the cookies out and eats them right away. Mind you, I have not seen ANY of my other clients dogs do that. . .just my luck :) We bought a HUGE sized one for a certain handsome Golden Retriever and he ADORES it. Spends hours chewing his way through the big cookie caps and it keeps him very busy and very happy!
As far as I can tell (and I've been doing a lot of research on this product. . .) there are two companies that make the toys, one being Triple Crown and the other, Starmark. They are available online, at specialty stores (I've been going to Pet Stuff here in Chicago, see the links to the right for their website), and slowly but surely coming into stock at your local Petsmart. These are not the lowest priced toys out there, but they are well worth the price! I fill the inside with little Zukes mini natural training treats or plain kibble and my dog loves it!
Here is a list of links to a few online vendors that sell these and some other great interactive pet treat toys :
As far as I can tell (and I've been doing a lot of research on this product. . .) there are two companies that make the toys, one being Triple Crown and the other, Starmark. They are available online, at specialty stores (I've been going to Pet Stuff here in Chicago, see the links to the right for their website), and slowly but surely coming into stock at your local Petsmart. These are not the lowest priced toys out there, but they are well worth the price! I fill the inside with little Zukes mini natural training treats or plain kibble and my dog loves it!
Here is a list of links to a few online vendors that sell these and some other great interactive pet treat toys :
T
Friday, January 23, 2009
Some of my early clients. . .
I grew up with dogs, and had dogs always. My first was a huge Great Pyrenees, Chrissy, then a cockapoo, Jennifer who we had for 14 years until I was in college! My favorite dolls and toys were always Snoopy and Pound Puppies. . .hmmmm. Let us take a brief visual stroll down memory lane, so you can see where it all began.
Below is a brief synopsis of my qualifications, as illustrated in the photos above:
- My early career in grooming (complete with matching outfit and hair accessories)
- My outstanding multitasking skills and my ability to care for multiple dogs at once (my cousin's big black Schnauzer) while also eating bacon (who fed their kids bacon? Nice, mom.)
- My penchant for dog photography (well, being included in the photos at least)
- My ability to care for dogs of all sizes (Snoopy doll and small beagle-like stuffed animal)
- My skills for supervising an off leash dog park (my front yard, but it was BIG) while in a full bride princess costume, with my hands full (more multitasking)
- My dog hugging skills, developed at a very early age
- My ability to care for dogs in a "home" environment (I was wearing a robe, so I was in the house)
Enjoy!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Its a Dog Eat Dog World. . . .
So as you all know by now, I have been given a tremendous opportunity to spend the rest of my life doing what I was truly meant to be doing. . . . .caring for dogs and their owners. . .
It was an absolute blessing for me when I found the job ad on Craigslist last May seeking a RETAIL MANAGER for a Luxury Dog Daycare and Boarding Facility in the West Loop. I literally thought it was the best thing ever, and in so many ways, it was.
I had been a high level manager for many large retailers in the years prior, (in one case fully opening a brand new 130,000 SF store from the ground up and subsequently taking it down two years later after a decision to close the location. . .in the one just prior to Pooch, hit with a surprise bankruptcy and liquidation, my second liquidation in 5 years, mind you. . . ) and was starting to realize that retail might not be the best place to spend the remainder of 2008 and beyond. . . .(which has proven to be more than true).
So I thought about dog walking or dog daycare supervisor position. . .but had no experience in those settings and could not get hired as a dog handler or walker. (not to mention the pay was not the greatest and my brand new husband was not too keen on me making $9 an hour at the time.)
But then I found Robin, or Robin found me. . .and it was wonderful.
I was so excited about the idea of getting to have a shot at the GM position for the new Pooch, that I took a $20,000 pay cut. Yes, a $20,000 pay cut, and my husband said okay, because he knew I would be happy.
I was hired right away after one interview with Robin and her husband and couldn't WAIT to get back from my honeymoon to start training at Lincoln Park. I worked with Jesse who had recently been promoted, and he showed me the ropes, as did Angela, Kim, Jen, etc. Everyone was very friendly and even though I was cleaning dog kennels and running a daycare, it was the BEST job ever. Hands down.
When the West Loop location opened in early July, I traded in all my dress clothes for sweatpants, was driving one mile from home to work, and could not have been happier. Best of all, for the first time in all of the years that I worked in the customer service arena, I found that I ACTUALLY CARED THAT THE CUSTOMERS WERE GETTING THE SERVICE THEY DESERVED. After all the years in retail, I had fully become the manager who was solely focused on operational tasks and found the customer's to actually be more of a nuisance than anything. Isn't that crazy? I think it happens to a lot of retail people eventually. So here I find myself in a job where not only do I ADORE the product (dogs), but I GENUINELY CARE FOR THE CLIENTS as well. And so here is why I say it was the best job ever, because every day I loved going to work, everyday I loved seeing my clients come in, everyday I got to play with dogs, and meet new clients and make them feel comfortable about signing up for daycare and boarding. . . .and mostly, I was reminded of the importance of CLIENT SERVICE, and was truly interested in providing exactly that. The BEST possible client service I could provide. (As well as the BEST possible care I could provide for the dogs.) That is what began to matter again, and that is what I take with me as I venture out on my own into the world of business ownership, ITS ALL ABOUT THE CLIENT.
So here we are January 2009, I worked myself to the bone through Thanksgiving and Christmas , gave 150% of myself to the job and to my clients, to my boss and to my staff, earned less than I've made in years, got laid off with ZERO notice, and still can tell you it was all worth it.
It took me about an hour, after getting laid off (a devastating hour, to say the least) and posting an update to my facebook status that I had "Lost the Best Job Ever," to realize that it was all worth it. In reality, I had lost nothing, only gained. Gained experience, gained people's trust, gained friends and clients for life.
And because I had taken the time to really get know these clients as people, really learn about them and their dogs, and their lives, really develop relationships beyond just being the person who takes the dogs in and out from daycare, and makes boarding appointments, I have these wonderful people who support me and are willing to trust me with their most prized possessions.
ALL of THIS because I genuinely cared for my clients, for their peace of mind, and for the well being of their dogs. That, my friends, is what comes naturally, what takes zero effort, and what will carry me through this new adventure. . . .now off we go. . .paw in paw. . .:)
Thank you all again for your love and support, and for being the best friends and clients I could have ever asked for. I am truly looking forward to a wonderful year with all of you and your dogs! It will be awesome, this I promise.
Tracey
It was an absolute blessing for me when I found the job ad on Craigslist last May seeking a RETAIL MANAGER for a Luxury Dog Daycare and Boarding Facility in the West Loop. I literally thought it was the best thing ever, and in so many ways, it was.
I had been a high level manager for many large retailers in the years prior, (in one case fully opening a brand new 130,000 SF store from the ground up and subsequently taking it down two years later after a decision to close the location. . .in the one just prior to Pooch, hit with a surprise bankruptcy and liquidation, my second liquidation in 5 years, mind you. . . ) and was starting to realize that retail might not be the best place to spend the remainder of 2008 and beyond. . . .(which has proven to be more than true).
So I thought about dog walking or dog daycare supervisor position. . .but had no experience in those settings and could not get hired as a dog handler or walker. (not to mention the pay was not the greatest and my brand new husband was not too keen on me making $9 an hour at the time.)
But then I found Robin, or Robin found me. . .and it was wonderful.
I was so excited about the idea of getting to have a shot at the GM position for the new Pooch, that I took a $20,000 pay cut. Yes, a $20,000 pay cut, and my husband said okay, because he knew I would be happy.
I was hired right away after one interview with Robin and her husband and couldn't WAIT to get back from my honeymoon to start training at Lincoln Park. I worked with Jesse who had recently been promoted, and he showed me the ropes, as did Angela, Kim, Jen, etc. Everyone was very friendly and even though I was cleaning dog kennels and running a daycare, it was the BEST job ever. Hands down.
When the West Loop location opened in early July, I traded in all my dress clothes for sweatpants, was driving one mile from home to work, and could not have been happier. Best of all, for the first time in all of the years that I worked in the customer service arena, I found that I ACTUALLY CARED THAT THE CUSTOMERS WERE GETTING THE SERVICE THEY DESERVED. After all the years in retail, I had fully become the manager who was solely focused on operational tasks and found the customer's to actually be more of a nuisance than anything. Isn't that crazy? I think it happens to a lot of retail people eventually. So here I find myself in a job where not only do I ADORE the product (dogs), but I GENUINELY CARE FOR THE CLIENTS as well. And so here is why I say it was the best job ever, because every day I loved going to work, everyday I loved seeing my clients come in, everyday I got to play with dogs, and meet new clients and make them feel comfortable about signing up for daycare and boarding. . . .and mostly, I was reminded of the importance of CLIENT SERVICE, and was truly interested in providing exactly that. The BEST possible client service I could provide. (As well as the BEST possible care I could provide for the dogs.) That is what began to matter again, and that is what I take with me as I venture out on my own into the world of business ownership, ITS ALL ABOUT THE CLIENT.
So here we are January 2009, I worked myself to the bone through Thanksgiving and Christmas , gave 150% of myself to the job and to my clients, to my boss and to my staff, earned less than I've made in years, got laid off with ZERO notice, and still can tell you it was all worth it.
It took me about an hour, after getting laid off (a devastating hour, to say the least) and posting an update to my facebook status that I had "Lost the Best Job Ever," to realize that it was all worth it. In reality, I had lost nothing, only gained. Gained experience, gained people's trust, gained friends and clients for life.
And because I had taken the time to really get know these clients as people, really learn about them and their dogs, and their lives, really develop relationships beyond just being the person who takes the dogs in and out from daycare, and makes boarding appointments, I have these wonderful people who support me and are willing to trust me with their most prized possessions.
ALL of THIS because I genuinely cared for my clients, for their peace of mind, and for the well being of their dogs. That, my friends, is what comes naturally, what takes zero effort, and what will carry me through this new adventure. . . .now off we go. . .paw in paw. . .:)
Thank you all again for your love and support, and for being the best friends and clients I could have ever asked for. I am truly looking forward to a wonderful year with all of you and your dogs! It will be awesome, this I promise.
Tracey
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