Today we’d like to introduce you to Anna Strasnick.
Anna, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
For several years my husband Rob and I had been sending our Golden Retriever, Noah, to a daycare that was located about 10 miles north of our home. It was between our home and my husband’s office, so transporting our boy back and forth was do-able. About 8 years ago my husband’s office moved from the North Shore into the city of Boston which was now about 12 miles south, while my work routinely took me west of our home. Suddenly, getting Noah to daycare became a more difficult commute. That was the beginning of our search for a doggy daycare that was a reasonable drive when battling the morning and evening commutes. Rob and I have no 2-legged children — only the 4-legged kind and compromising services was not an option. We wanted a local place with professional, friendly staff, a clean, odor-free facility with outdoor space and a proper human to dog ratio of supervision. We looked for months and we were unable to find a facility to meet our standards. After-all, Noah was not going to be able to tell us how his day went so it was up to us to do our due diligence. Eventually we gave up looking and decided if we were endlessly looking for this special place, then others must be looking too. That’s when the entrepreneur in me took over and the GoodFellas ideology took shape. We designed our facility to meet all of our high standards and had to absolutely include Noah’s most favorite activity, swimming! To add depth and experience to our services, I recruited the help of a friend, Gary E. Mozuch, who has spent over 20 years training police dogs for the Massachusetts State Police. Together with the perfect location and the support of family and friends we hit the ground running and never looked back. We are excited to be celebrating our 5 year anniversary this year and look forward to many more!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Our priority, always, is to keep dogs safe and comfortable while they play, socialize and have some fun. With that said, not all dogs are good daycare dogs. Some get stressed, overwhelmed or overstimulated; some are just not friendly with strangers, and some get easily irritated by other dogs bumping into them or attempting to engage in play. Age can also affect a dog’s tolerance for other dogs and off leash play. It doesn’t make them bad dogs, it just means they are not comfortable being in a group of other dogs and would prefer the company of humans, a robust hike in the woods or a smaller play group of 1 or 2 familiar friends instead of a larger group of active pups. So, the most challenging part of the job has been getting people to understand that for one reason or another their dog is just not that into it!
So, as you know, we’re impressed with GoodFellas Doggy Daycare – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
GoodFellas offers doggy daycare in our 2,800 square foot facility along with 4,500 square feet of outdoor space. Our daycare includes a variety of activities to strengthen social skills and obedience. Cage-free lodging suites and an overnight chaperone provide a warm, homey atmosphere for overnight guests. We also offer a top-notch training program in all dog obedience disciplines — from puppy to adult to behavior modification. And last, but certainly not least, our facility offers a full size 17’x25’x4′ saltwater swimming pool!
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
We have recently introduced our new Rookie Enrichment Program which is a daycare program for puppies. GoodFellas firmly believes that daily, positive exposure to structure, exercise, routine and training are all paramount to raising a healthy, well balanced puppy into a confident, well-mannered adult that will be the envy of all!
In addition, my goals are to continue providing a safe, fun, learning environment for all of our clients.
Contact Info:
- Address: 20 Thresher Street
Route 1 North
Saugus, MA 01906 - Website: goodfellasdoggydaycare.com
- Phone: 781-231-0505
- Email: goodfellasdoggydaycare@gmail.com
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/GoodFellasdoggydaycare/
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