We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Danielle Linn. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Danielle below.
Danielle, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?
Coming from a girl with lots of ideas, I always felt they would stay that way, just ideas. But as my experience with dogs grew, my passion did as well, and next thing you know I’m holding myself as one of the best canine caretakers in the greater Austin area.
Launching my business was hard. I had to gather clients while working for another facility that was awful (like many boarding & training facilities are), while building up my social media accounts, renovating a bunkhouse, all while educating myself more and finding a team willing to jump down this rabbit hole with me. Not to mention health struggles, diet changes, and life trauma all coming at me head on.
The amount of diligent research I did (even on subjects I felt well-versed in) was the key to my current success. I got a little black note book on day 1 and filled that to the brim with shoulds, shouldn’ts, pros, cons, and everything in between. Everything from severe safety measures to the type of cleaning products I would use, I didn’t leave a stone unturned.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
If you haven’t heard of Dogslanding Play & Train or The Dogslanding House yet, you have now. We are your unsung hero’s rescuing dogs from euthanasia, your dogs best friend while your away on vacation, and your dedicated training partner to help you and your dog become the best versions of themselves. We provide boarding, daycare, training, and yep, we even rescue dogs from euthanasia, dumping, backyard breeders, and occasionally the surrendered.
From training my first deaf dog at 11 to helping thousands of dogs recover from reactivity and aggression at age 30, my experience covers a wide range of animal behavior. I am certified in R+ training methods and canine psychology. My whole team undergoes the same training and certification process that I do to ensure a safe and fun environment for the dogs here. You won’t find that at most boarding facilities, which is definitely a factor that sets us away from the rest. We have a human on site 24/7, we address problem behaviors rather than let them fester, and have an honest approach with our clients.
We are so proud of the constant client testimonials and the fact that Dogslanding was built off word of mouth just proves we’re doing something right!
As far as rescue goes, we’re setting a new standard. Rescue is becoming a monetary pursuit and you will notice many dogs are lied about and therefore put in awful situations. Some local rescues and shelters are some of the worst out there. Pulling in tons of funding but not putting any effort into keeping the dogs (& humans that care for them) safe and behaving properly in their system.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
This is such a great question! In the dog world, love and affection varies. What I used to think was love and affection for a dog has changed incredibly. One of my first rescue dogs when starting Dogslanding taught me how to unlearn something I thought I really knew. That cuddling and baby talking a dog was the last thing they saw as love or affection. In fact, those two things in particular breaks your dogs trust immensely if they haven’t asked for it. Affection for a dog is the chance to decompress, taking the burden of decision-making away, and giving them clear boundaries. When you here these words as a nurturer, you cringe. It feels unnatural. Yet, I have an open mind that I may not know this species the way I know my own. That thought has helped me saved hundreds of dogs. When I dived into rescue full-time, I realized what these dogs really needed. It wasn’t a sweater or a cute headband, it wasn’t giving them a basket of toys or every snack I thought they’d like to try, it wasn’t a cuddle session… It was decompression through crate training (which created a feeling of safety), it was finding what truly motivates them like food, toys, or even touch (which created positive associations) and it was giving them the space and quiet to take in everything around them. They best version of that dog would always appear quickly, and then the fun stuff got to come into play! Through this lesson, we are creating a space for dogs to learn how to move through the world safely with clear communication from the humans around them. We even offer free training to the dogs we adopt out, to ensure their success in their new home.
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
Positive reinforcement isn’t just for dog training. When running a business, you show your appreciation heavily for the team the surrounds and supports your vision. They are the heartbeat of the business and the more you care for your team, the more you get the same dedication back. And similarly to dog training, boundaries are also very needed in a successful team model. Everyone must know what their place is & feel good about it. And lastly, communication must be amazing! If your team isn’t comfortable asking for a day off or letting you know when they are late, there’s deeper issues to address. Are you making them feel comfortable enough to come to you as a boss? Do you let them come in late sometimes without warnings?
Being a boss is hard. It’s like having kids (that you didn’t have to raise). There will be tears, laughs, and meetings that feel like they went nowhere but if everyone signs on for the same reason you started your mission, your weird little family will help your grow your dreams until they are bigger than you could of have ever imagined.
Contact Info:
- Website: dogslandingco.com
- Instagram: @dogslandingco @thedogslandinghouse
- Facebook: Dogslanding Play & Train
Image Credits
Courtney @courtpie