We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Janet Cesarini. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Janet below.

Janet, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

Pupology came into existence out of a deep love for my five dogs – specifically, a drive and subsequent passion to help one of my Australian Shepherds (Hank) heal from some of the most common challenges almost all dogs will face in their lifetime. The day I told Hank’s veterinarian, “Let me research these options, and get back to you,” I didn’t realize the direction my life was about to take. My research unveiled the many side effects that Hank (all dogs and cats, actually) would be subjected to if I chose to follow the only plan presented by his healthcare provider. The plan involved “prescription” food – which is simply a marketing term and ploy to deceive pet parents into buying over-priced nutritionally-void food; a common steroid shot – which shuts down the immune system, and a commonly prescribed medicine – which would help mask the problem, but not solve it. Further research led me down a completely different path to helping Hank heal by changing the type of food he ate, boosting his immune system and supporting his critical life-giving organs. Once I began seeing him improve, I started applying the same thing to his siblings. Like Hank, they all started showing signs of improved health and vitality. Outward signs like less shedding and a healthier coat, more energy, cleaner teeth, improved bloodwork on annual visits, and so on. After seeing the improvements with my own eyes, I knew my mission was to educate other pet parents about what I learned. The bottom line is we love our furry family members and we want them as healthy as possible for as long as possible.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

While I have always had and loved pets – everything from turtles, birds, bunnies and hamsters, to squirrels, cats and dogs, long work days as an adult prevented me from having dogs as a young adult. It wasn’t until 2012 when my job allowed our department to begin working from home that my husband and I got our two Australian Shepherds, Hank and Charley. It was at that time that I decided I wanted to be the best dog mom ever. Not having children of my own, I poured all that love into nurturing them. Over the next few years, we rescued three more dogs, making our pack a total of five. By 2017 and a major birthday milestone, I couldn’t deny my passion anymore, so I took the giant leap to quit my corporate job and begin building Pupology. At first, Pupology was a pop-up shop. My husband and I, and a few wonderfully supportive friends, would set up at events and markets around the Austin area. I would tell pet parents about healthier pet treat options, safer pet toys, better quality clothing and bedding, handmade leashes and collars, and the important role a healthy gut (and healthy food) has in building a better, healthier immune system. Three years later, in 2019, Pupology opened as a brick and mortar retail store in Georgetown, Texas. We have an extensive freezer room where our raw pet food, goat milk, and gently cooked food are stored. Our supplements have grown to an entire wall and are carefully researched and sourced. There are a lot of products on the market with synthetics and fillers, and are costing pet parents a lot of money.
I’m most proud of all the pets whose lives we have been able to improve. Nothing makes my heart more happy than a happy pet parent who tells my team and me how much we have helped their pet have a better life. The feedback that has had the most impact on me is the dog mom with a nine year-old Jack Russell named Moose. He had been receiving prescriptions and shots for allergies for years and the dosages kept having to be increased when they would lose their effect. We suggested changing Moose’s diet, adding supplements and supporting the gut. With consistency and commitment, his appearance, attitude and appetite improved. One day Moose’s mom called my store to thank me for giving their family their dog back. That was a very good day!

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

The biggest lesson I’ve had to learn is to trust the process. Always a hard worker, perfectionist and over-achiever, I had to learn to relax and let things roll. That was a big lesson for me. Having been a teacher and school administrator before working for Corporate America, I was used to strict (and restricted) timelines with clearly defined rules and roles. If owing a small business teaches you anything, it’s that we can’t control everything that is going to happen. What we can do is to put in the work and energy, receive the feedback, make adjustments and carry on.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I opened my shop in July 2019. Little did we know the whole world would shutdown in March 2020. Covid was nothing anyone could have prepared for, yet it required a hard pivot in order to keep the business alive. At that time I didn’t have a website for online shopping. One was created and curbside pick-up, and home delivery became a part of my business model. We still offer these services within a seven-mile radius of the store.

Contact Info:

• Website: ShopPupology.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pupology.atx
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pupology
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/pupology-georgetown?osq=pupology%2C+georgetown%2C+tx
• Other: Pet Health Junkies is my podcast that I co-host with two other pet industry professionals. https://www.pethealthjunkies.com/

Image Credits
I took all the photos uploaded .