Siri and her dog Gatsby
Welcome back to the Unleashed Blog! This month we’re shining our employee spotlight on our team member Siri. She joined Off Leash earlier this year and we couldn’t be luckier to have her! Continue reading to learn more about the great person behind the leash!
Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how long you've been a part of our team?
A: I joined the Off Leash team in early January of this year 2024. For a decade prior, I worked in marketing, as well as for non-profit organizations within the Department of Justice. I enjoyed utilizing behavioral and motivational psychology methods to help individuals reach their full potential. The connection between my past and Off Leash MKE align well with my personal mission; to serve, give back and improve our community. Personally, my career switch to working with dogs happened when I rescued my first, and then second, rescue dog. Both of which came with some behavioral concerns, and I want to selflessly pay it forward.
Q: Do you have a favorite pet or client story you'd like to share?
A: I have two favorite stories:
My first fond memory was with a Bernese mountain dog weighing more than I do. Following our adventure, he chugged his water bowl and immediately coughed it all up on their pristine carpet. I’m not kidding, it was about a gallon of water. What I realized was that no matter how messy life gets, try and find the humor in it. What made it better was how grateful his mom, our client, was so grateful towards my approach in cleaning it up. We truly work for amazing and thoughtful individuals.
The second fond memory was dropping off one of our long-term dogs for the last time. His parents were moving for work. It was at that moment that I realized how special the bonds we form with both our dogs and clients are. I nearly shed a grateful tear saying goodbye.
Q: Besides working with animals, what are your hobbies or interests?
A: I started playing cello at age 8 professionally and competitively, and still play for fun to this day. I now use classical music as a means to soothe a dog’s temperament, as it acts as a powerful healing agent. I learned this first-hand with my first senior rescue dog, when all other attempts at reducing his anxiety had little to no effect. I also compose and play for private events and non-profits on the side. Lastly, I volunteer my time towards the creation of our first MKE Dog Park!
Q: Do you have any pets of your own? If so, tell us about them.
A: My senior dog passed away due to natural causes and lived his best life. I now have one rescue dog, Gastby. He is half Shar-Pei and half Cocker Spaniel, also known as a cocker-pei or the mini-hippo dog! I rescued him when he was a few years old. He is my first foster fail, and I couldn’t be more happy about it.
Q: Are there any favorite dog parks or pet-friendly spots you recommend in our area?
A: I highly recommend checking out Doctor’s Park! It offers a variety of different types of trails and terrains that suit you and your dog’s needs and capabilities. It’s located in Fox Point and borders Lake Michigan. It is absolutely stunning and the beach access is gorgeous! An upcoming spot to keep an eye out for is our new Downtown Milwaukee Dog Park, opening later this year! It is located beneath the I-794 overpass and along the river. It will be the first public dog exercise area and is perfect for downtowners!
Q: What's your go-to tip for clients looking to provide the best care for their pet?
A: My go-to tip for clients looking to provide the best care is to become familiar with the breed you want or have. Breeds have different purposes that require care tailored to their ancestry. Train, exercise and love your dog accordingly!
Q: How would you describe the teamwork and camaraderie among our pet care team?
A: Our team is passionate in what we do and for one purpose. Which is, to improve a dog’s well-being by providing the best quality of care through understanding canine behavior. By being on a supportive team that shares the same goal and vision is immeasurable. Our team has a lot of highly knowledgeable and skilled professionals from multiple fields. We communicate, learn and grow from each other, which is what creates a strong team. We strive to be very empathetic and trusting individuals with the goal of client satisfaction.
Q: What do you appreciate most about working with our company?
A: What I love most about working at MKE Off Leash are our clients, their dogs and my colleagues. We’re trained to provide premier care, individualized adventures and training that caters to you and your dog’s unique needs and wants. My personal mission aligns well with Off Leash MKE, and I am very grateful to be a part of the team!
Thank you, Siri, for all you do for the team and the pets we care for!
To wrap up the end of the year, we are excited to shine our employee spotlight on the newest Off Leash MKE team member Marissa! Since joining us in September 2024, Marissa has been a fantastic addition to our team. She dove right into home visits and adventures with the skill and confidence of a seasoned pro - keep reading to discover more about the amazing person behind the leash!