Who is Katie?

Greetings,

My name is Katie and I began work at Gary’s in 2010.  When I started, I was bathing dogs and clipping toenails.  You know, the glamorous stuff.  It was not my ideal position, but I stuck with it because I knew where it would get me.  It got me to where I am today.  I am now capable of so much more than I was just a few short years ago.  As an added bonus, I get the opportunity to interact with so many wonderful people and even more wonderful pets, all because I was willing to get a little dirty.

Growing up, I was always an animal lover.  My mother always jokes that she could leave me at a petting zoo for hours, come back, and I’d still be there loving on baby goats, sheep, donkeys, puppies.  You name it.  She said she really never needed to hire a babysitter.  I suppose she had me figured out long before I did, as mothers often do.

Caring for dogs (and the learning process to get there) has truly been one of the most rewarding things.  I’ve learned to be patient in ways that I never could have imagined.  I’ve learned about the grooming process, about the natural history of dogs, and am currently gaining skills in training concepts as well.  However, the most important thing I’ve learned from Rickey is the human/dog dynamic.  It’s so amazing to see the way compassionate people can truly change the lives of dogs and, more importantly, vice versa.

One of the greatest things about working with and caring for dogs is the complete and utter spontaneity of the whole thing.  You never know when you’ll get a goldendoodle kiss on the face or a sweet little German shepherd snuggle from the toughest of dogs.  The personalities of dogs are so diverse from breed to breed and even individual to individual.  Dogs never cease to amaze us here at Gary’s and any other way would be out of the question.

I’ve made many many friends here at Gary’s – dogs and humans alike – and all I can say is that we truly appreciate each and every one of you so very much and we look forward to continuing the relationship we share with you and your pets.

Thanks so much for letting me be a part of your pet’s life.

Katie P