Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Allard.
Sarah, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m a lifelong animal lover. When I was 22 I had the opportunity to move to Utah and work at Best Friends Animal Society (then Sanctuary). I worked at Best Friends for a year and learned about animal behavior, pack mentality, training…pretty much anything dog related. It was an incredible experience and once I moved back East, the skills I learned at Best Friends provided me with the foundation to start my own business working with dogs. And I happened to live down the street from a woman selling her dog walking business, Fitpet. We finalized an agreement two days before I left for a trip to Australia, and I took over when I got back. That was eighteen years ago and Fitpet is now the Happiest Hounds. I started small, walking a few dogs together at a time. I then transitioned to groups of dogs hiking trails off leash, which took time and experience.
I am now trying to grow my business so that I can offer large fenced areas for the dogs to play in as well as small group hikes.
It’s interesting to look back at my journey and see how much I’ve learned. Animals are great teachers.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No, it hasn’t. I have very close ties to not only the dogs but also the families, and at one point I realized I couldn’t manage all the requests I was receiving. I hated saying no. I’m great at hiking and pet sitting for my clients, but the decision to grow my business was a challenge. If I wanted to accommodate everyone though, I had to take the leap.
The Happiest Hounds – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
The Happiest Hounds provides daily adventures for dogs. We pick them up in our wiggle wagons (minivans) and take them—in small groups—for an off leash hike at a local park. If it’s hot out we’ll make sure there’s a place to swim along the way.
It’s not just about exercise, though. Our dogs love running and playing, but they love doing it together even more. Socializing with other dogs is important for mental health; we take them home happy and tired after playgroup.
We also have a playground in the works. We’re fencing in a large parcel of private land so the dogs can play without the concern of running into unfamiliar/unfriendly dogs. This will also allow dogs who aren’t candidates for off leash hikes to enjoy the benefits of running and playing with other dogs.
Besides playgroups, we offer pet sitting both in our homes and in the client’s home.
We pride ourselves on being reliable and trustworthy. The dogs’ safety comes first at the Happiest Hounds. That’s why our groups are small, and the dogs are carefully screened before being accepted into a playgroup. We rarely have an injury and have never lost a dog.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
For me success is being able to work doing something I love everyday. I know that sounds cliché but it’s the truth. I consider myself very fortunate to do the job I do. I also believe good work-life balance makes me successful. I work hard and I enjoy my time off too!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thehappiesthounds.com
- Phone: 508-658-0140
- Email: sarah@thehappiesthounds.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehappiesthounds/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehappiesthounds/
Image Credit:
Amber Aftosmis
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