This is Jake and Max at nap time...one of the few times I can safely work on the computer. I've had dogs all my life. I love dogs. All of them. I've learned so much from them, I could say my experience with dogs has been even more rewarding, more valuable, than my degree in psychology.
As to the question “What should I do with my life”? I think I may have just found the answer...Open a dog kennel, and play with dogs! I thought this was a brilliant idea a few years ago, but I just didn't know how to go about it. I still thought it was brilliant about a year ago (a very good sign), and decided to just go for it. With a LOT of help from friends and mentors, my husband Pat and I opened a 3-kennel overnight facility over 4th of July weekend this year.
The business part of this has been remarkably frustrating, but still doable. If only I could just play with dogs, make a living, and not have to deal with the business end of it all. I've loved meeting my doggy guests and their owners! Everyone has been so pleasant and encouraging. I won't go into all the details, but suffice it to say, suppliers and other businesses I've had to deal with to get this thing going have not had my idea of decent customer service. I pride myself on excellent customer service, and I have decided to recognize good customer service by linking to companies I'm happy with on my website under Great Links.
This blog is intended to share the activities at Northwest Dog Retreat, and things I've learned through hard knocks and happy successes while working and playing with dogs, products that work or don't work, and training my two new Jack Russell Terriers, Jake and Max. I might share my thoughts on raising children as it relates to dog obedience and companionship (I've already checked, my kids don't mind if I share that I think there’s a correlation there).
My writing style may be a bit different. I used to get a lot of compliments on my writing. Then I went to college and learned the correct, yet very clinical way to write. I’m going to try to recapture my before-college “style”. I hope I can. I had fun writing then. Please let me know what you think. By the way, if you find a gross editing mistake, horribly misspelled word, using the wrong word, like “affect” when it’s supposed to be “effect”, the first person to comment on it will get an additional 5% off their pups next stay. (I'll even make it transferable to a friend if you look around and discover you have no pups at this time). I won’t likely be doing it on purpose. Or, maybe I will....
And at the end of each blog I hope to have something smart to say that you can take with you. I welcome your feedback, but will mention that this is not the blog for controversy. Constructive criticism is always welcome, but really I’m looking for more ideas. For example, in the category of something a bit different….
SOMETHING A BIT DIFFERENT… (This is where I try to impart something smart)
Recently I was looking for wrapping paper for a little something I bought my husband for his birthday. I always have wrapping paper, but never for the type of present I’m trying to wrap. So I took a cute little brown paper bag with the cord handles and put the present in there. Then I took scraps of leftover wrapping paper (one was Christmas paper, the other one was just kind of ugly, but the colors were cool) and rolled them up kinda tight and cut ringlets of paper off the roll, shook them out and put them in the paper bag as easy-to-pick-up confetti decorations. It re-used scraps of wrapping paper I’ve had following me around for perhaps years (decades?)! I think I’ll do this with other used paper too.
As to the question “What should I do with my life”? I think I may have just found the answer...Open a dog kennel, and play with dogs! I thought this was a brilliant idea a few years ago, but I just didn't know how to go about it. I still thought it was brilliant about a year ago (a very good sign), and decided to just go for it. With a LOT of help from friends and mentors, my husband Pat and I opened a 3-kennel overnight facility over 4th of July weekend this year.
The business part of this has been remarkably frustrating, but still doable. If only I could just play with dogs, make a living, and not have to deal with the business end of it all. I've loved meeting my doggy guests and their owners! Everyone has been so pleasant and encouraging. I won't go into all the details, but suffice it to say, suppliers and other businesses I've had to deal with to get this thing going have not had my idea of decent customer service. I pride myself on excellent customer service, and I have decided to recognize good customer service by linking to companies I'm happy with on my website under Great Links.
This blog is intended to share the activities at Northwest Dog Retreat, and things I've learned through hard knocks and happy successes while working and playing with dogs, products that work or don't work, and training my two new Jack Russell Terriers, Jake and Max. I might share my thoughts on raising children as it relates to dog obedience and companionship (I've already checked, my kids don't mind if I share that I think there’s a correlation there).
My writing style may be a bit different. I used to get a lot of compliments on my writing. Then I went to college and learned the correct, yet very clinical way to write. I’m going to try to recapture my before-college “style”. I hope I can. I had fun writing then. Please let me know what you think. By the way, if you find a gross editing mistake, horribly misspelled word, using the wrong word, like “affect” when it’s supposed to be “effect”, the first person to comment on it will get an additional 5% off their pups next stay. (I'll even make it transferable to a friend if you look around and discover you have no pups at this time). I won’t likely be doing it on purpose. Or, maybe I will....
And at the end of each blog I hope to have something smart to say that you can take with you. I welcome your feedback, but will mention that this is not the blog for controversy. Constructive criticism is always welcome, but really I’m looking for more ideas. For example, in the category of something a bit different….
SOMETHING A BIT DIFFERENT… (This is where I try to impart something smart)
Recently I was looking for wrapping paper for a little something I bought my husband for his birthday. I always have wrapping paper, but never for the type of present I’m trying to wrap. So I took a cute little brown paper bag with the cord handles and put the present in there. Then I took scraps of leftover wrapping paper (one was Christmas paper, the other one was just kind of ugly, but the colors were cool) and rolled them up kinda tight and cut ringlets of paper off the roll, shook them out and put them in the paper bag as easy-to-pick-up confetti decorations. It re-used scraps of wrapping paper I’ve had following me around for perhaps years (decades?)! I think I’ll do this with other used paper too.
 I could have done more with the decorating, but that would be so unlike me. |  I need to learn to take better pictures...or get a new camera. |
Jake's on the left. Max is on the right. Max needs to learn to sit up straight. :o)
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