Stockton couple trains dogs to obey — and much more

Julie and Don Pawlak love dogs. They love them so much they have opened their own business dedicated to training and boarding beloved family pets.

The Pawlaks have been training their own dogs for 10 years and for the last seven have been training for the public. Two years ago they moved to South Rim, located three miles southwest of Stockton, and now own and operate Rush Lake Kennels.

"We have both always loved dogs," Julie, 34, said. "Don really wanted to do hunting with dogs and we were getting frustrated with trying to train them. We went to seminars all over the country."

So they decided to go into business for themselves.

The kennels, located just south of the main house, blend in with the rest of the property. If no sign were posted at the start of the driveway, it wouldn't be known that a dozen or so dogs were there.

"?We didn't want the building to be an eyesore," Don said. "We wanted to respect our neighbors."

Don, 40, works full time at Rush Lake Kennels to ensure the safety of the dogs they board. The dogs are placed in one of 20 runs, or kennels, that house the dogs. The 1,500-square-foot building is well insulated with windows, central air and a heating system. The runs are kept sanitary with a trench-like system that keeps the dogs and kennels clean.

"We are very diligent to sanitize everything, so we can keep the smell down," Don said, which can be important during their busy times, like the holiday season. Over Thanksgiving they boarded 24 dogs.

Adjacent to the building is a 1,500-square-foot outdoor exercise area where dogs can run around and play individually. They are let out three to four times per day and are kept on the same schedule they would have if they were at home, Don said.

In addition to boarding, the Pawlaks teach basic, advanced and companion obedience classes. They also hold private instruction and in-house training. The 1,900-square-foot area for the classes is large and open with plenty of room for the dogs, and their owners, to be in. While they encourage people to have their dogs trained to be obedient, they limit their class sizes to 10 so the dogs have more one-on-one attention.

Don is a registered American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen evaluator and has apprenticed under Devin Inglove of Center Creek Kennels in North Dakota for the past two years. Julie also teaches classes on obedience, hunting and for dogs going to competitions.

In the downstairs area of the main house is a check-in office where they keep the files and records of the dogs they train or have boarded. The Pawlaks require owners have their dogs vaccinated before they are taken in to ensure the animals are healthy. They have had to turn away dogs because they could get the other canines sick.

"Most people love their dogs, but don't generally remember to get them vaccinated," Julie said.

Don and Julie have been married for 13 years and are originally from the Dayton, Ohio, area and moved to Utah after Don's job transfer. Julie claims, however, that Don always had a yearning to move out West.

Don has his degree from Wright State University in sociology and Julie has her degree from the same school but in psychology. She also received her MBA in human resources and finance from Westminster College in Salt Lake City.

While Don gets to stay home all day with the dogs, Julie works at GE Health Care during the day.

"?I can't wait to come home each night to take care of the dogs," Julie said.

One of the best aspects of owning their business is that Julie gets to work with her husband.

"It's not very often you can find something you like doing together as a couple," she added.

Don used what he learned from dogs to help with 13 years of social work.

"Dogs made me understand kids," Don said.

As Don and Julie have no children of their own, their dogs seem like their kids. However, Don is quick to say that he doesn't humanize dogs because they follow the strongest in the pack. People, on the other hand, may follow someone weaker.

"You don't get a handbook for raising kids, but there is a huge similarity between dogs and kids," Don said. "I feel fortunate to have worked with both."

The Pawlaks hope their business will continue to grow and more pet owners will bring their dogs in to be trained. In the spring, they are planning on building a 1-acre dog park for their clients. It will include a pond and lots of room for the dogs to run around in.

"I like working with dogs because they love you unconditionally," Julie said. "No matter what, they're happy you are there."

Missy Thompson: missy@tooeletranscript.com