I wasn't exactly "raised by wolves" but I grew up around dogs and other animals. My parents bred Boston Terriers and Doberman Pinschers. We had chickens, geese, goats, ducks, rabbits and horses and of course there were always puppies around. It was only natural that I follow that suit in life but it took me nearly 35 years to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up.
In my 20’s I bounced around between the family business and working part-time at retail pet stores, kennels and veterinarians during which I adopted an adult Doberman “Tzeal” and later purchased a Yorkshire Terrier puppy “Cornelius.” My 30’s led me to my second Yorkshire Terrier puppy “Annabelle” and also to corporate America working for real estate and mortgage companies then on to one of the largest privately owned investment firms in the country. I worked in corporate America a lot of years before I started to feel like something just wasn't right. Sure, the money was great but I wasn’t happy so I set out to find what made me happy. And I figured it out around 1999 on my daily walks from the train to my Boston office. Some people get excited about architecture and real estate, while others get excited about sports cars and fixing things. Some people love children while others love animals. Every day on my walk the only thing that really excited me was when I saw someone walking a dog…I just couldn’t wait to run over to meet the dog. I knew I wanted to work with dogs, maybe grooming, maybe training or something like that. I wasn’t exactly sure how or what but at least I had a dream. So in 1999 I left my job, took my last paycheck and bought my very first Doberman puppy “Alexis.” I later returned to corporate America for a short time and finally left for the last time in 2002 to follow that dream by volunteering for the swinging corporate layoff ax, got a severance package and unemployment benefits and started Dedicated To Dogs in 2003 after having attending Mount Ida College’s Canine Grooming Program. I NEVER looked back. On one of my corporate exits back in 1999, a co-worker gave me a card that read “Don’t wait for your ship to come in, swim out to it” … it has become words that I live by … some 11 years later I STILL have that card.
Enough about me and more about Dedicated To Dogs! Domesticated dogs have been around hundreds of years and were originally bred for specific purposes to suit specific human needs and functions such as working, protecting, hunting, ferreting out rodents and even to be given as gifts to royalty. But today’s dog has become an integral part of our every day lives. They are part of the family. They sleep with us, go for drives with us, exercise with us, we take them on vacation with us, they have special food dishes, gourmet treats, scientifically formulated diets…We even have pet health insurance for them. So, of course the way our dogs spend their days while we are at work or vacation has changed as well. Doggie day care centers are everywhere. Pet owners are saying "My dog is too important to me to leave him home alone all day or to leave him in a kennel while I'm on vacation.” But they’re also asking desperately “Where can I take my dog where they will be safe and I don’t have to worry?" Dedicated To Dogs is the answer to that question. Dedicated To Dogs is a natural, home & back yard environment with NO KENNELS so that dogs can romp and play in groups, make new friends, get exercise, spend lazy afternoons in the sun, the cool grass or kiddie pool, nap, romp some more, play some more then relax until mom or dad comes to pick them up at the end of the day. Wouldn't you LOVE for your dog to spend their days away from you like that?
As I mentioned I've worked in the retail pet industry and the veterinarian business…I’ve also attended obedience classes and handler classes with my own dogs and have had the pleasure of tutelage with experienced obedience trainers. I've even tried my hand at confirmation dog shows with Alexis. I have a well-rounded knowledge of many breeds and their temperaments, basic training knowledge and problem solving, canine behavior, body language & social skills and I have overall common sense when it comes to thinking like a dog. I am a certified dog Groomer via Mount Ida College's Canine Studies Program, although I no longer offer grooming services due to a back injury. I also teach puppy and beginner training classes at the Hanover PetSmart as well as private in-home problem solving sessions with my K9 coaching services. So you see, your dog is in good hands at D2D. They’re like family when they’re here; it’s like their second home. My clients don’t call me “Auntie Amy” for nothing and I look forward to your dog becoming part of the family.
