EVERY BUSINESS HAS A STORY
OURS STARTS WITH LOVE
Flash back to 1999. After many years of wanting and waiting to add a Border Collie to my family, I finally had the right home and enough time to devote to my first Border Collie. I was finally able to get the dog that I dreamed of training to do so many fun things. I was looking forward to so many new adventures.
​
Enter Storm.
Yep. That's him on our logo. Storm came to me with his littermate Cloud, "the funny looking little white one" that the breeder said no one else wanted. She became my heart and soul dog.
​
Storm and Cloud lived up to all of the adventures I expected (and then some!). They took me all over the country training and competing in Frisbee, Flyball, Agility, Dock Diving, Herding and even a little Rally Obedience. You can still see their trophies and ribbons on display at Bark Town today.
All those adventures did not come easy with Storm. He came to me with so many lessons I needed to learn. Storm always seemed to look for ways to do what he wanted instead of what I wanted. Lets take Frisbee for example. His idea of fun was to grab a frisbee and run away hoping I would chase him. He also did not like other dogs! This was a problem. We could not go anywhere near other dogs without him growling and lunging at every dog he saw. That makes competing in dog sports a little hard to do.
​
I began searching for a trainer that could help me and I got a good education in what NOT to do and things progressively got worse. Many of the methods that were recommended to me did not sit right in my heart. One trainer (a very reputable service dog trainer) recommended that I euthanize him. She felt I would never be able to trust him, especially in dog sports. I went home crying after class and angry that a trainer would tell me to put down my 5 month old puppy. There had to be a better way.
​
My search took me into the world of positive reinforcement and the science of behavior.
I am proud to say, Storm lived to be 15 years old and enjoyed competing and playing in almost every dog sport. Storm became a shining example of what is possible with love and patience.
​
Flash to 2003. I found myself looking to further my career. After spending several hours at the library, studying to sit for the Law School entrance exam (LSAT), I found myself walking through a parking lot and heard a dog bark. I was instantly transported from my own thoughts to the present, a quick scan to find the dog and an instant smile on my face. In that moment, everything changed for me. I wanted to spend my life working with dogs. They are my joy! I am constantly amazed and fascinated by the intelligence and behavior of all dogs.
I love my dogs! I love your dogs! I can say with the deepest conviction that I just love dogs!
​
Storm taught me the power of being worthy of trust. He taught me the importance of patience, empathy and understanding, and above all else kindness. Storm's legacy is Bark Town USA.
​
As the first Dog Daycare in Livingston County, we pioneered a dedicated dog daycare experience, rooted in positive reinforcement and centered around each individual dog's needs. We continue to be progressive in our training methods, without the use of aversive tools or intimidation, following the most current science in training and behavior, using only positive reinforcement, kindness and respect for our learners. We provide choice based training and daycare experiences that meet all standards of wellness and enrichment.
​
I believe every dog deserves an enriched life. After all, that is what they give us!
