About Kadence
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Animals have always had a special place in my heart. Most of my biggest smiles come from being in their presence. I’m smiling right now just thinking about them! Once I stopped letting society dictate what “real jobs” look like and allowed myself to lean into what truly brings me joy, there was no turning back.
I kicked off my time in Western Mass with a string of odd jobs before I landed a gig at a dog daycare and groomer. Up until that point, it was the best job I’d ever had. How could it be bad afterall, I was surrounded by one of my favorite things in the entire world, dogs! I woke up every morning excited to go to work for the first time ever.
Some time passes, a global pandemic strikes, the battle against racial injustice is front page, top of mind and smack dab in the middle of city streets across the globe. Just like so many, the summer of 2020 opened my eyes and mind to so much that was insidiously veiled by white supremacy.
Through opening up to those closest to me and seeking resources to teach myself some of the things I wasn’t taught by any of my teachers or my family, I was empowered to embrace parts of me that I have been told my entire life were grounds for shame and apology.
Summer 2020 was the match, being unjustly fired was the spark that lit the flame, and now my love and passion for animals coupled with my new found passion for making change will provide the fuel to take Bet on Black Pet Care to places I’m sure I have yet to even dream of.
I hope y’all join me for the ride!
I Did That!
PET CPR & FIRST AID CERTIFIED
I can develop a deep connection to the heart and soul of your pet. I consider them all to be an extension of my own fur baby. Anyone who knows me, also knows that Huck is my world and I’m absolutely bananas over him. This means I’m already absolutely bananas for your pets. All the technical skills are great and very necessary but anyone can obtain them. My ability to connect and bond with your pet is the gift I’ll always be proudest of. Each and every animal I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting has walked away with a little piece of my heart and they all breathe life into me like very few things on the planet have ever been able to do.
I participated in a service dog training internship for a little over one year. I was able to expand my knowledge of dog body language and behavior and dive deeper into dog psychology to understand dogs in a more well rounded way. I assisted puppy, basic and intermediate service and therapy dog training classes and observed private lessons with certified trainers. Through these experiences I learned how to decipher between appropriate and inappropriate dog interactions and play, how to teach basic manners skills and behaviors and the effectiveness of positive reinforcement among other things.
I attended The Lemonade Conference virtually. It is a conference held annually by well known dog sport and animal training/behavior associations. The conference consisted of over 50 presentations (complete with a Q&A session and short quiz to follow each) by some of the industry’s top names with titles ranging from trainers and behaviorists to veterinarians and researchers. I collected so many valuable nuggets of knowledge spanning an incredibly wide range of topics.