Inspiring Conversations with Yuri Lee of Your Dog BFF

Today we’d like to introduce you to Yuri Lee.

Yuri, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I am a dog enthusiast, trainer, walker, caregiver, and foster. I started off as a dog lover and then it eventually became dog owner, and then it became dog rescuer. One of those rescues, Huckleberry Finn, aka Huck the husky, is my 10 year old husky who has put me through nearly every single dog experience, good and bad, a dog owner can experience. His vet, Dr Kellie Lam, has saved his life multiple times. She has had to change all the door handles at her practice because of this dog. He has put me in debt, forced a former city girl to become a nature guide; he is the dog who shaped my patience, problem solving skills, and convinced me that I can do hard things. But he is also the dog that I could not trust at home alone and so I had to send him to daycare Monday through Friday with a packed lunch while I was at the office, slaving away, paying for his tuition essentially. I didn’t love it, but he came home nice and tired.

Then the pandemic happened. I started off training and walking my neighbor Vicki’s German Shepherd, Gigi, as a favor. Gigi was terrorizing the neighborhood and becoming notorious on Nextdoor with her reactivity. We started working together nearly everyday and she really started blossoming and improving when I used what I call my Disney princess voice around her nemesis, a Rottweiler named Bella. It clicked for me that most dogs spend their growing up years with humans mostly, figuring out what we want when we say things. But not too much with other dogs. They just needed to have enough positive experiences with other dogs to really grasp what dog body language and behavior looks like and when it’s a threat vs not. The problem is, convincing them that the other dog isn’t a problem when you’re not completely sure since it and its owner are strangers. Fortunately, I had a bunch of well socialized dogs at home for my clients to practice on!

From there, my love for dogs traveled by word of mouth and I began walking, training, and pet sitting. Suddenly, I had all sorts of dog friends, of many cool different breeds, fulfilling my wildest childhood dreams. When I get to know them well enough, they get to join me and my pack of dogs on dog adventures all around Southern California. I love how having dog best friends they see regularly and get to go do cool things with really adds another dimension to our clients’ lives – both dogs and humans. I love that my boarding clients aren’t anxiously awaiting their vacationing owners return, because they’re running on the beach with their friends, and or in the in n out drive thru line.

I never thought this would be my life. Granted there are challenging days, but here I am creating and growing a business based on my life passion, and it’s incredibly rewarding. I love each of my dog clients like my own, and I’ve made lifelong friendships with their humans. It’s amazing how much I bond with my clients over our mutual obsessions with their pets’ cuteness and individual personalities. I’m just at the stage where I’m looking to accept new clients, so I’m developing an application on my business’ website (under construction).

Alright, 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?
One of my biggest struggles with what I do is facing the stark reality that we live in an unjust world, where pet ownership is becoming a luxury and there is a whole lot of need that goes unaddressed. Not everyone can be helped, a lot of bad things happen to people and creatures who don’t deserve it, and I am in no position to judge, I can only do what I can do, which is to help where and when I can.

We’ve been impressed with Your Dog BFF, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
As the owner/operator of Your Dog BFF, I have the pleasure of meeting and befriending lots of dog friends of all breeds and sizes. I specialize in training and boarding high needs dogs who thrive in a home setting and pack adventures during their staycations. The dogs I work with are often working breeds, or dogs with high anxiety or special needs. As a trainer, walker, and caretaker, I am known for my ability to foster a pack mentality amongst dogs who don’t normally live together, eat together, or sleep together. The dogs in my care are treated, photographed, and appreciated for who they are and their unique preferences/needs. They are treated as I treat my own personal dogs and have the same access to my home, yard, car, furniture, and bed. Brand wise, I am most proud of the business’ ability to handle all different types of dog personalities, even the challenging ones, while keeping prices affordable for the members of our community. I hold free group walks for my clients with similar personalities. I video dog training lessons, as well as our many hikes and beach day adventures. Many of my clients are people who have to board their dog for long periods of time for a variety of reasons – illness, hospitalization, extended vacation, or job requirements. I also provide daycare services to a number of professionals and families who have return to office jobs. The most important thing for readers to know is that I have an application process and “try out” days before accepting new clients. While I would love to work with all dogs, I provide a very high standard of care that is dependent on owner and dog cooperation.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I often use my resources and knowledge to rescue and foster dogs in need. As such, not all dog applicants can be accepted but we do our best to accommodate all of our guests.

Pricing:

• daycare $45 (pickup and drop off included)
• walks with training $40
• training sessions with owners $50
• overnights start at $80 per dog per day (max: $125)

Contact Info:

• Website: still under construction
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@yourdogbff?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

Image Credits
Yuri Lee