Today we’d like to introduce you to Kayleen Perlof.
Kayleen, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My passion for working with animals started at 3 years old, but I didn’t find my place in the industry until taking a job at a dog daycare that offered pack walking when I was 21. I loved the work, but felt that the program should be more structured.
When I rescued my dog, Haven at 12 weeks old, I read every dog psychology and training book I could get my hands on. I fell in love with the teaching and training process after developing such a strong bond with Haven and realizing how different dog ownership could be when you have a well-trained and socially adapted dog.
From there, I left my job and briefly trained dogs in-home for another dog daycare. After a few months and a lot of amazing feedback, I decided to take the “leap of faith” and see out my own vision for a dog care and training program. Aside from adopting Haven, stepping out on my own was the best decision I’ve made to date!
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?
Without a doubt, there have been learning curves in starting and owning my own business. It can be difficult to balance a personal and social life while at the same time making sure all of my clients feel heard and attended to.
I’ve learned that it’s not the challenges I face, but the way I face them that’s important. Positivity goes such a long way, so instead of getting stressed out that I can’t do it all, I take a deep breath and gear up for a new day each day. As tough as it can be at times, it’s worth every bump in the road to be able to care for these dogs and send them home well-cared for, happy and tired.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
OC Lucky Dogs specializes in structured pack walking as a form of doggy daycare. We pick up your pup from your house and take them walking/hiking with 5-10 other dogs at a time. They get socialization, exercise and obedience training all tied into one convenient service! We also offer one-on-one training in-home for clients’ whose dogs need tailored help leash walking, learning basic commands or acclimating to the pack environment in general.
In my past experience before starting OC Lucky Dogs, I saw a lot of mishaps that were easily preventable. I make sure we take every precaution we can to keep our pack members safe. We emphasize the use of safety equipment — meaning no prong collars and no collars or harnesses dogs can slip out of. Every pup gets a behavioral assessment and we are trained in canine CPR and First Aid in the event of an emergency. We also carry first aid kits, water and extra supplies on our walks. Preparation is everything!
Additionally, we infuse a ton of training into our day-to-day fun. Our pups practice sit, down, stay, a release cue, reliable recall and loose leash walking skills almost every single day! Mixing these basic, repetitive skills with ample socialization and exercise inevitably leads to a better dog at home, which makes for some very happy clients.
What were you like growing up?
I have always been completely obsessed with animals of all kinds and I have always loved to read and write about them. To this day, I can spend hours observing animal behavior and I never get bored! I am also the product of two older brothers and no sisters. If I didn’t have my nose buried in an AKC dog breed book, I was camping, riding quads or skateboarding.
As far as my personality goes, I was headstrong. My third-grade teacher called my Mom into class and told her I was overly bossy, but my Mom was ahead of her time and never made me feel bad about it. I believe my confidence in taking the lead is what makes working with dogs come so naturally to me, so I’m grateful to my parents for never trying to suppress it. I’ve always been family oriented, strong-willed, creative and a positive thinker. My upbringing instilled in me a balance of confidence, trust and bravery — traits that I constantly aim to pass on and share with my clients, both canine and human, in order to foster reliable, purposeful relationships.
Contact Info:
- Website: ocluckydogs.com
- Phone: 714-552-1844
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ocluckydogs
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ocluckydogs
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/oc-lucky-dogs-santa-ana?osq=oc+lucky+dogs
Image Credit:
Daniel Perlof
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