Today we’d like to introduce you to Jill Stammer.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jill. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
A few years ago, I had a friend that needed help with the bully breeds in the packs of dogs she walked and worked with. Since I had 20 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating pit bulls, I decided to help her out on the side while I continued to work full time as an EMT at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. After a few short months with these beautiful dogs, my friend offered these dogs to me to start my own company. I decided to leave the hospital, and focus on working solely with dog’s full time. That’s when Second Chance Dog Walking & Sitting started.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
In two short years, our client base grew very quickly. So quickly that it was often difficult to find the right staff in a hurry to meet the demands of a rapidly growing business. We couldn’t just hire anyone who wanted to be a dog walker – especially because we work with a very special niche of dogs and take pride in the amount of work and dedication needed to continue to uphold our reputation in the community.
Additionally, we decided to branch out further than other companies in the Greater Boston area to continue to serve bully breeds in areas such as Arlington, the South End and Allston. Although it spread us thin at times, clients in those areas were experiencing difficulty finding dog care for their bully breeds, and we wanted to make sure we found ways to help them.
Second Chance Dog Walking & Sitting – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
When I started Second Chance, I wanted to take the business in a different direction than any other dog walking company in the Greater Boston area. I wanted to focus on giving bully breed owners a sigh of relief and the dogs themselves a safe space to go to without fear of breed discrimination and to feel welcome in the pack. I wanted clients to feel comfortable knowing that their dog was in the care of a knowledgeable team that understands the psyche and behavioral aspects of training this amazing breed. I wanted my team to change the public’s misconception of these bully breeds by working hard to make sure they were the most well behaved and trained dogs in the park.
I took this direction with the company for several reasons. Many of our clients were unable to find dog care for their Pitbull, American Bulldog, Rottweiler – all simply because of their breed. They were turned away because of company bans or because they didn’t have a knowledgeable staff that could work with these dogs. So many of our sweetest and largest dogs, were kicked out of doggy day care because dogs attacked them, but since they were a bully breed, they suffered the consequences. I knew when I started this company with the direction I wanted to focus on, that it could potentially deter people from reaching out to us for services. From day one though, I wanted to remain focused on our mission and never let money keep us from our goals of providing a safe and happy space for all dogs.
What started as a 12-dog client base, is now 84 dogs and counting – ranging from 8 pound Chihuahuas to 120 pound American Bulldogs.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
One of the proudest moments of my career so far is seeing the transformation of a number of timid, shy and insecure dogs who come to us, turn into a confident, playful and energetic pup after a month or so with us at Second Chance.
For example, we had clients adopt a second dog, but this dog did not want anything to do with the first family dog. When their parents put them in a pack with us, it was only a matter of a few playgroups together that changed their relationship. The two were playing together in the park and at home and started cuddling and being more affectionate with each other.
Knowing and seeing first-hand the role we have played in making so many dogs and their families happy, means the world to me and the entire reason I started this company.
Pricing:
- Relief walk: $15
- 15-20 minute walk: $20
- 25-30 minute walk: $25
- 45 minute walk: $30
- Weekend or evening walk: $30
- Play groups: $25 for 1 dog // $40 for 2 dog household
Contact Info:
- Website: www.secondchancewalking.com
- Email: secondchancewalking@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/second_chance_walking/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/secondchancedogswalkingandsitting
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