New owner buys pet sitting business

New Sisters resident Joanna Lansdale grew up taking care of animals, so when a pet sitting business came up for sale, it was a perfect fit. Lansdale bought Going to the Dogs from former Sisters resident Jennifer Wilhite when Wilhite moved to another state.

“I come from a family that always had animals,” said Lansdale.

She said she comes from “county folk” in Louisiana and grew up with dogs, cats, horses and even pigs. She provides services for mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, fish, insects and plants.

“The only thing I’m a little afraid of is toads,” she joked.

Lansdale’s business has 85 clients in the greater Sisters area that need everything from regular dog walking services to occasional help when pet owners go on vacation.

“I provide one hour visits that may include walking, feeding, watering, administering medications and snuggling time,” said Lansdale.

She meets clients’ needs from short visits to overnight stays.

Lansdale wants to provide high-quality customer service to her return and new customers. She hopes business will grow by word-of-mouth when clients say, “Joanna takes great care of our animals.”

“My goal is to create a safe and healthy environment for any animal under my care. That includes following the instructions left by the owner and listening to the animal so that I may provide the best services for each client,” said Lansdale.

Lansdale said she “really loves dogs especially” and recommends crate training them when they’re little.

“It makes everyone’s life a lot easier especially with a puppy because they know where their safe haven is,” said Lansdale.

Lansdale has a second vocation as a massage therapist. She is currently in the process of getting her license. She added massage is not just for people.

“I want to be able to use massage with the dogs,” said Lansdale. She said she can work pain out of sore muscles and use massage to relax higher-energy dogs. Lansdale plans to add other services to her new business such as taking active dogs on hikes.

Lansdale is enjoying her new business, the Sisters home she and her husband recently bought and their own new puppy. For more information visit http://www.goingtothedogs.bz.