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Bio

Crystal Canine was founded to keep owning a pet business the best career in the world!

Susan & ArchieAfter 12 years owning and operating Urban Tails, a large dog daycare, boarding, grooming and training center in Houston, TX my passion has transitioned to helping fellow pet care business owners. As a recognized leader in the dog daycare industry my goal is to make all off-leash play programs safer. The people I meet in this industry motivate me to make a difference by providing tools to make your career as a business owner easier. My frustrations as owner of Urban Tails came from a lack of training materials for my staff and frequent financial stress. Using my educational background in accounting, my study of social dog behavior and my gifts for training others I now create programs and tools specifically designed for the pet industry.

Through my involvement in industry trade associations and work on creating the first industry standards, I met Robin Bennett, dog daycare expert. In 2007 we co-wrote Off-Leash Dog Play: A Complete Guide to Safety & Fun. The book was well-received and we responded to your requests to create a staff training resource on dog language and safe off-leash playgroups. Knowing Dogs, uses the easy to learn traffic light signal classifications for dog behavior from our book with videos for a comprehensive “staff training in a box”.

Enjoying our work together and the positive feedback from business owners we continue to create new tools that will raise the bar of safety in off-leash dog play. Robin and I want to make managing your off-leash play programs easier and have founded The Dog Gurus. Through our website you will get exclusive first access to new tools we develop, in-depth topical discussions and regular insight to our combined 25 years of experience in off-leash dog play. We are confident that members of our website will lead the dog daycare industry in operating excellence.

Through my own financial challenges managing my pet service business I drew on my educational background in accounting and work as a former CPA. In 2009 my second book, Counting Noses, was published as the only industry specific accounting and financial management resource available. Sharing this book with the industry resulted in feedback that business finances causes great stress for many owners. Wanting to make a difference to individual owners the Financial Health Check-up Self-study Series was created. The goal of this very affordable program is to remove unnecessary financial stress so you enjoy your passion for pets and being a business owner.

Finding speaking engagements very rewarding you may find me presenting seminars on getting started successfully in the pet care industry, financial management, staff management, dog daycare and dog body language. Enjoying the synergy of collaborations in the fall of 2011 I partnered with other pet industry experts to organize Pet Care Business Basics, a seminar for anyone looking to get started in the pet care industry.

Sharing a strong passion for recognition of professional pet care, Charlotte Biggs and I founded the Professional Animal Care Certification Council in 2015. The council’s mission is to bring independent testing and certification to the industry in an effort to recognize excellent providers and assist consumers in finding quality care for their animals.

Media ExperienceI am very grateful to work in the pet industry as an author, speaker and consultant. My goal with Crystal Canine is to make information more easily available to business owners through articles, presentations, self-study courses and hands-on seminars. I also enjoy opportunities to work with business owners through consultations and business improvement projects to love their business. This is the goal of my signature program, My Successful Pet Biz. Educating others on the pet care industry, canine body language and making the right choices for their pets is a passion that I enjoy sharing through the media.

Pet care industry is my passion, but my professional career began as an auditor for Ernst & Young. I earned a Masters of Accountancy from Truman University in my home state of Missouri and passed the CPA exam in 1984. I’ve converted to a Texan and live in Houston with partner Bill Kamps and three dogs, Sheppy, Archie and Lacey. My dogs continue to provide lessons on the complexity of canine health and behavior. This has led me to become a student of natural and holistic pet care courses and a reiki master/energy healer. My first choice is to use holistic modalities in the care of my pets including natural diets, acupressure, massage, homeopathy, aromatherapy, essences, color, crystals, EFT, and animal communication.

When I’m not writing or creating new programs I can be found reading, in my garden or enjoying great food and wine with my family and friends. Bill and I love our spring and fall tripsBallPlayatBeach to the beach with our pups, Sheppy and Archie. I’m always up for a travel adventure to enjoy nature, explore history and appreciate our diverse cultures. Crystals are always with me either as jewelry, home décor or garden art.

 

If you’re intrigued to know more, here are four things you don’t know about me…

    • I earned a Masters of Accountancy and passed the CPA exam in 1984
    • Small business ownership runs in my family including both grandfathers, my dad, brother, sister-in-law and Bill
    • My friends outside the pet industry were met during my 15 years as a docent at the Houston Zoo
    • I’m a passionate Houston Texans fan and season ticket holder

      Antarctica January 2016 with my friend Jeff

      Antarctica January 2016 with my friend Jeff

You are invited to follow Crystal Canine on Facebook and join our mailing list. We share industry news, events, new program updates and helpful articles on excelling in pet care. Click Here and join a community that believes
pet care is the best career in the world!

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