Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Susan Gary. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Susan thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission the drives your brand?
I started working for a pet sitting business in my city and was appalled at what poor service was provided. Employees would leave clients’ doors unlocked. Pet visits were only 12 minutes. Employees often did not even show up to a pet care assignment. Every night I would share with my husband these stores and say “we could do a better job”. Pets deserved so much better than this! Finally, we decided we really COULD do a better job and started Top Dog Pet Sitters. We had our first client the first week we were open.

Susan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I have a Master’s Degree. People are often surprised by that. My husband, Erick, has a Business Degree and a Security Clearance. People are surprised by that, as well. We own Top Dog Pet Sitters in McKinney. We have chosen to be Pet Care Professionals because it’s our passion. There are people that think we do this because we couldn’t make it in the Corporate and nonprofit world. It’s often because there’s a misunderstanding about what a Pet Care Professional does. Besides the obvious responsibilities that are involved in pet care, we are yard maintenance/ handy men/detectives/pet EMT responders/counselors/resource specialists. A higher power has called us to ensure that EVERY pet in our community feels loved and safe when their pet parents are away. We attend numerous networking and fundraising events in the area. When people hear what we do, the response usually is “What a fantastic job! You get to play with dogs every day!” And sometimes, there’s the disappointing response of, “is that even a REAL job?”. We are small business owners. We provide employment to 14 people in our community and are SO proud to be contributing to the economy of McKinney. We know how to create a business plan. We know the difference between a Sole Proprietorship and an LLC. We understand Marketing, Human Resources, social media, customer service, and ever-changing technology. Our love of caring for critters is not glamorous. We are outside every day. This means that we are in the oppressive Texas heat, drenched in sweat. We walk pups in the pouring rain and on days when it’s so cold that the wind stings our faces. We wrangle cats that require meds. Snakes, “fancy rats”, gerbils, guinea pigs, exotic birds, bearded dragons…each pet we care for is precious to us. We scoop litter and clean up vomit. We have been asked to wipe dog butts. Have you ever seen blood splatter at a crime scene? Now imagine that it’s poop and not blood. We’ve had to clean that up. So, what’s the “upside”? Giving clients “peace of mind.” Dog kisses and belly rubs. Playing with a cat who we would “never see”. We develop deep relationships with our incredible clients and fiercely love their pets. We grieve when clients move, have a different work schedule that means we no longer see their pup every day, or a pet crosses over the rainbow bridge. We are trained and educated professionals. We are not the kid down the street or your neighbor. We applaud their great intentions, but what happens when a better offer comes along? We have many clients that called at the last minute because the teenager they hired chose to go to a movie, or worse, decided not to show up! or the neighbor decided to go on vacation. We do not “bail” on our clients. This is not just a job to us, it’s who we ARE. We are professionals, not hobbyists. We are trained and educated in pet care. We understand fence aggression, separation anxiety, and we know the 6 levels of a dog bite. We are pet CPR/first aid certified. We are fully insured. We PAY TAXES. At the end of the day, we smell like a dog and are usually covered in fur and slobber. But, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I retired from ministry in 2011 at the age of 46. I painfully learned that God “calls” and God “uncalls” his servants. I never ever thought I would be doing any other work than that of being a full-time minister. How did I know I was no longer called? I DREADED getting up on Sunday mornings. I was bored Monday-Thursday (Friday was my day off). I no longer found joy in my work. I left my ministry position and went to work for a nonprofit. It was an ovarian cancer nonprofit. I was responsible for educating the community about ovarian cancer, working with survivors, and fundraising. I HATED fundraising. I DETESTED fundraising. When the nonprofit decided that my focus would shift from ovarian cancer education to total fundraising, I left the organization. I was no longer “called” to full-time ministry. My non-profit job was not satisfying, what was I going to do? While working for the non-profit, I also was working for a pet sitting service in my community and LOVED the work I did. Giving people peace of mind. Ensuring that pets felt loved and safe while their humans away gave me a lot of JOY! I was able to take a number of my gifts for ministry and, along with my husband, create Top Dog Pet Sitters

How do you keep your team’s morale high?
Employee engagement, the level of commitment and connection to a company, is a popular topic. Here is my advice: 1. Lead by example. My passion for my business and my commitment to providing excellent pet care will trickle down to my employees. I always strive to reflect a professional image and to be courteous to employees and clients. As an employer, I also work to create an environment where all employees feel valued and are treated with dignity and respect. 2. Include employees in decision-making, when appropriate. Passionate employees need to be “in the loop”. 3. Focus on Wellness. Pet Sitting is emotionally and physically draining. Burnout and compassion fatigue are self-care concerns in the pet care industry. I have an obligation to make sure my employees receive time off and reasonable schedules, Every employee is expected to work most holidays, BUT, they are given time off to celebrate with their families. Before Covid, we would host dinner gatherings at our home for our employees and their families. 4. Provide Learning Opportunities. Educational opportunities keep employees engaged, and promotes self-confidence. 5. Recognize Accomplishments. Anytime a client has positive feedback on a pet sitter, I share that with the sitter, and depending on the circumstances, with our entire pet sitting team and on social media. When a sitter exceeds my expectations, I often thank them with an Amazon gift card. 6. Compensate your employees well. This will go a long way in creating loyalty, passion, and high morale. Compensation is not just the hourly or salary rate an employee receives. It is also: bonuses, insurance benefits, retirement matching, Worker’s Comp, continuing education, time off, holiday pay, etc.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.topdogpetsitters.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=top%20dog%20pet%20sitters
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=top+dog+pet+sitters

Image Credits
Fred Shots LAB Photography