Send the right signals, get the right results.
Our staff is well trained and educated in dog related fields (psychology, animal behavior, behavior modification, etc). The best way to teach a dog is to properly train the person who will be teaching them. We are proud of the fact that our turnover is very low and you will have the opportunity to get to know the staff well. Some of our staff have been at DGH several years and have watched our dogs grow up. We strive for positive long term relationships with both our dogs and clients.
A little about the two-legged creatures at DGH:
Megan Joy (MJ) Henricks
Manager
For the past two and a half years MJ has managed Dog Gone Happy with a sturdy hand maintaining the quality of care and service DGH regulars have come to expect. After the business was sold in 2009, MJ stepped in as manager and has only improved the value that DGH brings to clients, human and canine alike.
After finishing her Bachelors in Psychology, Megan was looking for a summer job before attending graduate school and going on to primate training. She fell so in love with DGH that she decided to stay and continues her education with dogs. Even after 6+ years of employment at DGH she still learns something new about animal behavior every day and does a lot more smiling and laughing than she would in a classroom. More and more MJ finds her job to be discerning what a dog wants and finding a safe way to give it to them.
She reports "I am so grateful for the mutual love and respect that has developed between myself and our dogs. I am so blessed that so many wonderful people share their extraordinary dogs with me". MJ is also blessed to often hang out with DGH beasties outside of Dog Gone Happy with her house sitting and dog walking business.
MJ is Red Cross Canine First Aid certified.
Meredith Haynes
Assistant Manager
Dog Gone Happy has been fortunate enough to have hired Meredith and to have kept her for over two years now! Meredith assists MJ with the facility maintenance and has been trained to provide backup when MJ is on vacation. Meredith’s studies center on obtaining her Master’s of Science in Companion Animal Behavior Counseling. She states that she is "grateful to be able to work at such a well run daycare." When Meredith finishes her education she will be fully qualified to work with dogs, cats and horses on behavioral issues. Meredith states with certainty that watching and interacting with the dogs at DGH has taught her a great deal about situations that inform her degree. She is doing her thesis with information she has gathered from DGH.
Dog Gone Happy utilizes the tenants of the Third Way of Training and Meredith especially appreciates that fact and the resulting safe and comfortable environment for all the dogs and staff. She says it is wonderful to see dogs grow and learn in the process
Brittanie McGurk
Facilitatior
Brittanie is thrilled to be able to hang out with dogs as part of her job description. She brings years of volunteer experience at different humane societies as well a passion and desire to learn about animal behavior and welfare. She recently graduated with a degree in organizational communication from the University of Portland. She ultimately hopes to combine her educational experience with her love for animals to pursue an entrepreneurial adventure in the pet food industry. Brittanie desires to treat each dog as if it were her own and she appreciates the unique personality traits and quirks she sees in all of her four-legged friends.
Collin Farmer
Facilitatior
Colln is the newest memeber of Dog Gone Happy. Colln moved from Colifornia to Portland in January and has been enjoying working with dogs ever since. He graduated from the University of Santa Barbara with a degree in zoology and plans to continue his education. He hopes to use his background to work with wild pack dogs at the zoo. He has previous experience working at a dog day care as well as dog sitting and enjoys it more and more each day. Collin is grateful to join the team at Dog Gone Happy and plans to make the best of the experience. Collin is certified in animal 1st aid.