ABOUT

My family always included numerous furry and feathered members. In 2004, I formally started my business, Hound Around Dog Walkers. After providing over 100,000 walks, I’ve learned many things about canine care and safety.  I can tell countless stories about puppies misbehaving (in other words, puppies being puppies), offer my opinion on gluten and grain-free diets and suggest awesome places to travel with a pooch. All dog parents share tales and advice, but there are some stories that stick with you.

Years ago, one of my clients was walking his rescue Beagle, Linus, who was very skittish. During their walk, Linus was spooked by a noise and in the moment of panic, he slipped out of his harness. Within seconds, he darted into the street and was fatally hit by a car.  Around the same time, I saw signs around the neighborhood about a lost Puggle. I soon learned that the Puggle was jumping around on her walk and regrettably escaped from her collar. She started to play the “you can’t catch me” game and ran away. She was never found.

These stories terrified me. I wanted to ensure this would never happen to my dog, Brinkley, or any dog in my care. I started taking preventative measures. I had Brinkley wear a harness plus a collar and each had their own leash. He was 120lbs so I told people I needed the extra help to weigh him down.  It was a pain to put on, cumbersome to use and rather embarrassing but it gave me a greater sense of safety. Over time, I improvised solutions and figured out how to have a second line of defense without needing bulky layers or a second leash. The Pawsitively Secure collar was born!