Whitney Doremus

For the past twenty four years, as I was operating a variety of businesses, I also maintained work as a professional dog trainer. I have, for the most part, left the field in the past three years because I became a stay at home Mom.

As a dog trainer, I have helped hundreds of families learn the science of behavior and how to apply the principles they learn to train their dog without use of aversive methods.

As a sub-contracted dog trainer with HSCC from 2011 to 2015, I taught classes to the public using the same principles.

From 2019 to 2022 I was again sub-contracted with HSCC to work with the ACM and the ACA's to write adoption plans, conduct staff class, create behavior plans, write handouts for adopters, and help with the surrender prevention program.

Throughout all of my time with HSCC I conducted private training lessons for the public and did talks for Best Friends University, now the Helyn Kerr Humane Education Series.

Wrote a business plan, found and up fit three properties over five years, went before City Council for permitting, and worked with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture to open the first licensed doggy daycare in North Carolina

Wrote all policies, protocols, and procedures on an ongoing basis

Managed every department of the business: Administrative, Accounting, HR, Building Maintenance, Marketing, Public Relations

Maintained licensure with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and was instrumental in re-writing state guidelines for kennels based on the new and unique services a doggy daycare offers

Managed a team of ten to twenty employees over nineteen years while maintaining an excellent retention rate

Reason for closing the business: By August of 2020 we were in the throws of a pandemic. I was living in Vermont and just had a baby. I was unable to to get to North Carolina to run the business through the lockdown. After our PPP and EIDL funds ran out I was no longer able to keep the doors open.

Managed day-to-day business operations

Recruited, trained, and retained dog trainers and support staff

Provided motivation and inspiration to trainers to design their own training plans and execute their plans

Taught classes and one-on-one training sessions

Created all protocols, policies and procedures for operations

Handled customer complaints with an excellent track record of positive outcomes

Addressed building maintenance needs

Reason for closing the business: The lease was up and I made the decision to focus on starting a family