We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Megan Wolter a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Megan thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard.
My business model is based on Fear Free principles – which is to provide the lowest stress care and environment possible for any pets that I am working with. Larger companies are based on volume, where I keep my numbers low. Currently I keep a maximum of three family’s pets at one time. This allows me the time and space needed for each pet to have individualized attention. This would be impossible to do if I took on more dogs and opted to forgo my Fear Free principles.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I started working as a veterinary assistant over 15 years ago at my local Banfield in South Florida. I was extremely lucky to have worked with some amazing doctors and technicians who shared their knowledge with me and helped me to develop my skill set. During that time, I was in college finishing a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. However, I quickly discovered my passion was veterinary medicine so I never left. I deeply enjoy behavioral medicine as well as nutrition. After working in a few different clinics, an amazing county shelter, and a boutique dental practice I found myself at a Fear Free certified clinic in Mount Juliet, TN – Blue Oasis Pet Hospital. I had already become Fear Free certified before starting there but that clinic allowed me to blossom! I was able to practice all of my handling techniques and teach owners and other staff members so much about behavior. But it also showed me that we had a huge need in our area – a place for dogs to board that was low stress, had knowledgeable staff, and could handle sick or higher stress pets. So I decided that I would fill the gap and Nose to Tail Pet Care was born in 2019. I slowly started accepting clients that year and business grew! I offer boarding, daycare, and medical care services for pet parents who need help at home. Two years after opening, I took over Nose to Tail as my full time job and stepped away from clinic work. As much as I miss being in the clinic, I love spending my days enriching the lives of the pets I care for. Plus I am now in the process of moving to my permanent farm property to give the dogs even more amenities and space to enjoy!
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
Since Nose to Tail is a relatively small company, most of my referrals are by word of mouth. I am always so thankful to have my clients refer a new family to me. I also get many referrals from local vet clinics, especially the one I used to work at, as clients trust the recommendations of the staff.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
I think the biggest thing that helped to build Nose to Tail Pet Care’s reputation is that I do things differently and I’m not afraid to say so. I am proud that I am a Fear Free Elite service provider and that I am Low Stress Handling Silver certified. I try my best every day to ensure that the animals in my care not only have fun but are monitored closely for signs of stress and are treated appropriately. I don’t believe that dogs should run wild for 8+ hours in a boarding or daycare situation. I also don’t believe that 10+ dogs should be playing together with only one person watching them. So I don’t do those things here and that makes me different. I believe that dogs need rest, enrichment, and one-on-one time, so that is what I do here. I use pheromone diffusers, calming sprays, and play dog-focused music – all for the benefit of the dogs.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.nosetotailpetcare.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/nosetotailpetcare
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/nosetotailtn
- Yelp: www.yelp.com/biz/nose-to-tail-pet-care-portland
Image Credits
Head shot – Alex Lucas