Hi!  And thank you so much for reaching out to us at VLP!  First, and most importantly, THANK YOU for loving your animals enough to provide great care for them.  Second, this business was a long time coming and I’d love two minutes to tell you how it went from dream to day-to-day reality. 

We’ve cared for our own dogs for over 15 years, starting with a brown pit puppy named Harley.  She was a tiny little firecracker with razor sharp teeth who invaded my personal space in every way imaginable.  I didn’t have any animal care experience back then and it showed.  Harley made house training a full-time job and at one time I was convinced the cornerstone of her diet was couch pillows and expensive shoes.  But despite our differences, her need to push me to my absolute limits taught me patience, self-awareness, and most of all she taught me about a deeper love I never knew existed. 

It would be seven years of playtime and patience building before we added Sidney (AKA Siddy boy pee-pants) to our family.  He was a 2-year old rescue, suffering terribly from mange and carrying more medical baggage than we thought possible.  But he was also beautifully blonde with magnificently forgiving eyes, and a need for constant affection.  Constant Affection.  Constant Aff…. (never mind, you get it.)  He was anxiety-stricken and allergic to everything, including dust.  We vacuumed daily, made a thousand trips to the vet and dermatology specialists, and we laughed...alot.  We also invested in a wellness program, learned to give allergy shots, and dealt with deadly fish breath from the wildly-expensive salmon dog food his condition allowed.  When we lost Harley a few years later his broken heart led us all the way to behavioral therapy training at Ohio State University.  We’ve been there.

It’s been over a year since we lost both our furry little beasts.  Not a day goes by when I don’t think of it.  It’s only now though, that looking back, I think maybe Viva La Pooch was in the making the whole time; I just didn’t know it until now. 

In the end, our animals aren’t only our responsibility, they are a special part of our family.  They depend on us for everything and we should give them everything; food, water, exercise and training, and my personal favorite, unconditional love.  The same love they give us every time that door opens when you return home.  Because that’s what home should feel like.

Take this journey with us.  Say yes!  I can’t wait to meet you and your little one!

Jessica McNeely

Viva La Pooch Founder, Dog Addict