Northwest Doodle Dogs
photo credits: Victoria Velastegui
OUR STORY
Rhonda
As the working mother of two grown children (one being medically fragile & autistic) I found myself wondering… what I was going to do with my extra time now that my kids didn’t need me as much. I am one of those people that can’t sit still and loves a challenge… the outdoors, hiking, skiing, traveling & of course I LOVE dogs! You know… the size of dog you can scoop up in one arm… squeeze, hug and love like a baby but also big enough to hang with you when hiking. I also love a dog with a forever puppy face, which is why I have two Pomapoo’s.
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After years of looking at dogs online and trying to find another Pomapoo for a family pet, I became frustrated with trying to find what I wanted. The more I looked the more I thought to myself… I would love to research, breed & whelp puppies. Then I thought again…..your crazy, you are a chiropractor soon to be retiring. Several days later… I was in a hot yoga class and the instructor read the following quote at the end of class… "If people aren’t laughing at your dream, then your dream it isn’t crazy enough”. That was all I needed to hear… fast forward… I pulled my best friend Judy (a veterinary technician) into the picture and here we are… Two crazy dog ladies chasing a wild dream of being hobby doodle dog breeders.
Judy
My passion for animals started when I was very young. I was always bringing home stray dogs, cats, and any other animals that needed a home. I tended to gravitate towards rescuing stray dogs—skinny, lost, or scared—and when I got them home, I would tell my mom that they just happened to follow me home. She would look at me and say, "but, Judy, you put a leash around their neck so they had to follow you home." After bringing them home, I would rehabilitate them, put ads in the newspapers to try and find their owners, and if I couldn’t find their owners, I found them good forever homes. I was also in 4H and FFA (Future Farmers of America) showing and learning about all types of animals.
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Growing up with a passion for animals helped me find my educational path to pursue a degree in animal science and become an animal health technician. I have worked in the Veterinary Medicine Field for over 25 years. The joy and passion I have from working at a veterinary clinic has given me great compassion and knowledge for dogs. Having a close relationship with both patient and owner and the owner’s apprehension of leaving their pet made me research and build a small boarding facility that would lessen the stress and anxiety of both the pet and owner.
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Every dog I have grown up with had a special place in my childhood. I had many types of dogs in my life—from big to little, indoor to outdoor, and pure bred to cross bred. After owning my first poodle, Whitney, I was hooked on the breed. What drew me in was his intelligence, athletic ways, hypo-allergenic (non-shedding), and his devotedness and his desire to be my one and only. Whitney lived to be 18 years old and was the best dog I ever had. I feel dogs have an important impact on our society. They help with search and rescue, discover and alert to diseases, guide the blind, deaf and immobile, and offer companionship at every stage of life.