Sara Richardson

Quick Notes 2/10/15

R. Andrew Brown
UWRT 1103 022
2/10/15

2-10-15
Start of the Business

1992
Older sister had a job as a candy striper at a hospital
Jenni was jealous and wanted a job too
Currently walked neighborhood dogs, and wanted a job at the animal shelter
Parents were unsure, but Jenni says she understands that some dogs are euthanized
Began working at the shelter, worked there for 10 hours a week for ten years
She worked her way up and was given more responsibility
A poodle came to the shelter one day matted
Jenni used scissors (didnt know the proper technique) to cut all of the dogs hair after she bathed
it. This was dangerous because you can injure a dog when you use scissors
She took the poodle home for the weekend. Went to a pet shop.
The groomers asked her who groomed it. After she told them she has used scissors, they offered
her a job.
She refused but said shed like to groom the animal shelter dogs there. They let her use their
equipment if she would bring the dogs.
At age 17, the people running the pet store left
Jenni continued to groom all their customers through high school and part of college.
A woman named Sandy Pierro was a mentor who taught her more techniques. Sandy is alive (64
years old?). Sandy took on a lot of the patients when Jenni left for college and chose not to come
back every weekend to groom.
Grooming paid her way through high school and college.
Moved to NC for equine internship which fell through. Returned to grooming skills for a living.
2003 worked for petsmart (the one that used to be in front of the University.
Worked for 6 years as a regional trainer, training the trainers.
Left petsmart in 2009 because they were too concerned with the status quo
She constantly felt like she has a target on her back because she could meet a higher number than
was expected of her
Opened Swiftdogz because she wanted to run it her way under her principles
It will mean more than the status quo
Saw at petsmart that there is a huge gap in the training
All trainers use obedience training, which is a command system
Through positive or negative feedback, a dog must always have you in the equation to make a
choice
Jenni used the relative space method=you control what happened to you through the decisions
you make
A dog learns that after you tell it to stay somewhere, it is safe there, it chooses to stay safe
Learn to accept the environment=trust
We want a dog to be able to make a decision on its own
Pressure exists in an environment- any change, such a people coming/going, new smells, ect.
The pressure is a catalyst to cause the dog to do something

Sara Richardson
Quick Notes 2/10/15
R. Andrew Brown
UWRT 1103 022
2/10/15

The dog chooses to react in the correct way, and the pressure is relieved as a reward
Jenni uses a service dog to alert her of her blood pressure. The dog can smell a change and barks
to alert her. The blood pressure is the pressure and the bark relieves the pressue.
20-30 dogs at a time

Geese

Currently have a contract with UNCC concerning the Canadian Geese problem
The campus called and asked her to do a training session on campus, bring dogs and scare the
geese away
Geese are smart though, so when they see a leash they arent scared
Told UNCC that they needed a dog trained to find the eggs and scare the geese away
No money exchange
272 birds originally (72 on one pond)
Suddenly there were none
Geese would fly as soon as the kennel was opened
Birds werent respected before, they were abused to get rid of them
There are 54 birds now, only 27 nest at UNCC