How it all started

Devin’s dog training background started in Las Vegas. He had recently dropped out of college and wanted to find a new vocation. He loved dogs and wanted to be a dog trainer. He then rescued a Pitbull named Rogue and taught her a few tricks. She was getting very proficient at her commands and Devin began to look up ways to increase his skills. He then stumbled upon the largest dog training franchise in the world. They charged $3,000 for a 2-week dog training course to become a certified dog trainer. He was extremely interested, but did not have the funds to enroll in the school. Devin emailed the company and told them his story. The owner was intrigued by how passionate he was, and decided to set up an appointment. They were impressed by the interview, and asked Devin to stay to work for their company! It was there that Devin became a master dog trainer and taught other aspiring dog trainers.

Devin wanted to make a huge splash in the dog world back home in Chicago so he adopted an aggressive dog to rehabilitate. Since the dog was aggressive, he needed to meet with the head dog trainer at PAWS Chicago and sign liability forms. After talking with the trainer, she offered Devin a job at K9 University. It was here that Devin learned the ins and outs of dog boarding and pet care.

Here's “Our” Story:

Grace graduated with her dual degree MBA and Master's in Industrial Organizational Psychology, and was later planning on pursuing a Doctorate in I/O psychology. Post graduation, she signed a contract to work for a company in Dallas. They signed a lease, packed all of their things, and moved across the country! After moving in, the company unfortunately decided to rescind their contract. But she continued to apply for positions in the area, however the job market was tough. Unsure of what they were going to do for income, Devin had no choice but to go back to his passion; dogs. It was a skill set that allowed the flexibility to be at home while studying, and making money quickly to pay the bills. They began with dog training, but quickly realized boarding and daycare services were in higher demand. This was the start of Great Woof Lodge.

Philosophy

We believe that there are many empathetic individuals, who are searching for a career that is rewarding and meaningful. We hope to show those interested that they are able to leave their ordinary 9-5 jobs, and join our movement that provides a great work-life balance. Although, we may not replicable, we believe that the culture and mindset of our company could be! Our hope is to create a school, internship, and/or franchise opportunities to bring awareness and more opportunities in the pet-care industry.

We enjoy every minute of it. It is such a wonderful feeling, when your thoughts and ideas evolve into reality.