The beginning..

So my name is Sophie - not Ruby as most people misunderstand with the company name but Ruby is my Cockapoo who I adore and basically revolve my life around! Crazy dog lady comes to mind, I know but she's worth the label!! Anyway, back to me for a minute as this blog will be about Ruby and all things dogs.. I am 27 (just) who for all of her working life has been a dental nurse, a career I loved to start with but by the end was just chasing (non existent) money or career progression which I am proud to say I did hit but it was never fulfilling enough and I started to resent everything. I changed practices thinking of the progression route or being offered more money but nothing ever seemed to fit, I blamed the place, managers, myself, even the lovely other dental nurses, nothing was working. So towards the end of summer 2022 I decided to take the plunge and work with dogs - it would allow me to spend more time with my own pup but also (maybe) get rid of the urge of getting another one. I didn't at first know how I wanted to do this or where I could take it but all I knew was I wanted it and I also needed it - to be happier in my job so I wouldn't mind getting up in the morning, I mean it is also a bonus that you can pick your own hours, clients, etc.

While in a bit of a confused state about how I could do it, along came my partners brother who made it so simple and said "Why not start with Dog walking, get some clients and see how you feel. Once you have a foundation you can build on that." So that's what I did. A random Saturday evening in the pub (a little worse for wear at this point I must admit, which gave me some dutch courage to put the feelers out there) I created a logo, a Facebook and Instagram page, a price list and invited all my social media friends to join. I was so shocked at the interest I got within the first 24 hours. I very quickly made a decision to cut a few days down to start with at my 8-6 job, then if things picked up I would be able to make a choice on what was best. Well the amount of bookings that flooded in was crazy and I realised for this to work. I need it to be my full time job to be able to give my clients the times they needed with no restrictions. I was so unhappy where I was anyway and if it didn't work out I'll always be able to return to my profession was the pep talking I gave myself and within the week I had 3 quarters of my diary booked up for meet and greets which turned into my now regular pop in's/dog walks, so I took the plunge and put my notice in ready to start my new career. I can't tell you how nervous I was but I had such a good support system round me, that made it so simple and also it felt impossible to fail (I know that doesn't make sense but that's just how I felt by their support)

So during my notice period, I made consent forms, questionnaires, adapted my social media, made a better logo and sorted my diary out for the first month of bookings, I made an estimate of the money I was going to make and got very very organised, I bought poo bags, extra leads, lots and lots of treats, went to ALL my family members and got old towels, tea towels for them muddy paws, walking coats, trousers, boots, a bum bag, dog tags to put my details on while in my care, I got books to read up on basic dog safety. I did a Pet first aid course, CRB checks done, insured myself, bought an Ipad to be able to have everything easily with me for meet and greets. Researched local area dog walking spots. Anything I could think of that would make my life easier to start the job on the right foot. I did even look into getting a license for dog boarding/day care at my house but turned that idea off pretty quickly.. One, because I have OCD when it comes to my house, I like everything in order and very clean which is enough keeping on top of with one dog never mind more on a regular daily basis and Two, my partner is very very allergic to dog fur so I couldn't really do it to him. Although not the right move for myself, anyone that is thinking about starting this kind of business having boarding as an option will really help make some good money, a lot of my queries come from people not wanting to put their dogs into a normal standard kennels while on holiday and would prefer their babies to be with someone that will take care of the dog like their own family. All of this really paid off because all the knowledge I learnt during, made me look so much more professional in my meet and greets. 

I then started to look into other career progressions within the dogs industry, really I was just hoping I would be able to maybe make a year plan or a 5 year plan. Training became the thing I kept going back to, thinking about it all the time so I looked into a college course and enrolled. I am now training dogs as part of my portfolio while doing the course as well as walking dogs regular. I have just qualified in Dog reactivity and I am so excited to finish the rest of the course and getting really started with training and learning more techniques. I love the thought of being able to help families learn all the things they need for a happy life with their dog, including all the reactive dogs out their that some people have given up on. 

So that's how it started.. pretty wild really when you think about how quick of a decision it really was but after just 2 months of doing this with more and more dogs that came into my care, I realised my cute little VW Polo was just too nice for wet, muddy dogs getting in and out of it - I NEEDED a van, quickly. I did a lot of research, waiting for the right one, waiting for responses, the right price, the one that I would be able to drive nicely and of course safely!! Finally, one of my dearest friends came to me and told me he had the perfect van for the best price (mates rates is a wonderful thing) it was a Ford Connect, white van with only 63,000 miles on the clock - perfect!! So I took the second biggest plunge and bought it. My plan for the van is it will be set up with 4 cages for group walks, room for all my bits I take out with me but more importantly the security for travelling with my dogs, however this is still a work in progress but hopefully my next blog will be a start to finish transformation of Ruby & Co's very own dog walking/training van.. providing my partner pulls his finger out and gets it finished!

Anyway, let's just forward to today.. January 6th 2023, I have just finished my first week back to work after Christmas and the New Years - which I'll be honest, I was terrified I may not get my regulars back after the break, but I'm the busiest I've been and I am booked up for months (thank god!!) The hardest thing I have experienced about being self employed, was not getting paid over the Christmas period and having to be careful not to over spend during the festivities as most of my clients did not need me due to being at home during this time. It was difficult to do nothing but it gave me a good few weeks of being able to look back on my success and how happy I am now, how much this has changed my life. I have never ever been happy to go back to work after 2 weeks off until I started Ruby & Co.

I honestly couldn't be prouder or happier for how my little doggy company has come on and how happy I am I did it. I now wake up in a morning excited for work and don't mind staying up a bit later to do some admin or answering messages or revising for exams because I truly love it. It's a passion and the saying "If you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life" really is soooo true. I am so so grateful to the clients that trusted me from day one and the ones who have joined after, I wouldn't be able to do this if it wasn't for them. 

I hope this isn't to much of a boring introduction to my blog or the life of a new dog walker/trainer.. hopefully the more I do of this the better I'll get at it all, so please bare with but I promise you this page will be honest. It's going to be the good, the bad and the ugly truths to all parts and maybe even a little diary of all the accomplishments I (hopefully) achieve. Also, training tips, dog walking tips as a newbie, anything I wish I could have found out when starting out.. I can't wait to share and see where this next step takes me.

Lots of love, Sophie & Ruby x