Meet Randa, Matt, Miles, and Dylan Clark, of Tailchasers Pet Care!

What is your background, and why did you and your husband decide to open Tailchasers Pet Care? 

When I was in college getting my teaching degree, I got my first dog and fell in love.  In 2001, I ended up going away to Arizona Canine Academy that was run by Rocky Boatman at the time, who ended up taking over as the head of the Petco training program.  After completing my training at Arizona Canine Academy, I studied under Chuck Tompkins who trained Shamu.  I attended conferences to study under Jean Donaldsen, Sue Sternberg, and Ian Dunbar and read every animal behavior book I could get my hands on.  I apprenticed under the trainer for the Albuquerque police department and helped train the dogs for hire in the hunting dog program at Rend Lake.  I learned more about training as well as daycare and kennel management under Sarah George at Animal Crackers, and I got certified to teach pet CPR through Pet Tech.  I believe a dog trainer should always be learning.  When I moved to this area in 2004, I started Tailchasers Pet Care, offering dog walking, pet sitting, dog training, and pet first aid training.  We were looking to add more options for our customers, so we purchased Barrington Pet Resort in 2018.

What services do you offer?

We handle all your pet’s needs!  Our services include pet boarding, dog walking, dog daycare, pet sitting, dog training, grooming, pet first aid training, and we will soon be offering small batch pet food and treats!

What types of animals have you boarded and worked with besides dogs and cats?

We have bunnies and birds that frequently stay with us at Barrington Pet Resort, and our pet sitters have cared for bearded dragons, snakes, lizards, guinea pigs, rabbits, outdoor feral animals, and all sorts of birds!

What is a typical day at the office? 

In this industry, there is no typical day at the office; every day is different.  Each day starts at 7am when we check to make sure our team is healthy and ready to give this day their all.  We can hear the dogs playing and enjoying their breakfast as we get our kids ready to begin their school day.  Matt fills in at the front desk and in the kennel and handles all our graphic design, web design, video creation, and marketing materials as well as the staff training.  I manage the training program and the Dog Day School, so throughout the day, I head out to our training yard to work on manners and provide enrichment activities with the dogs in our care.  Once the training is done, I head to my desk to update report cards and develop behavior plans for the board and train clients, and work with private training clients.  In the afternoon, I meet with the board and train clients to make sure the pet owners understand how to maintain the new behaviors once their dog returns home.  I also handle the accounting and payroll, all the social media content, and work on developing new services and new ways to move the business forward.  Before bed, Matt tucks the dogs in and gives them their bedtime treats to make sure everyone is comfortable for the night. 

What makes Tailchasers Pet Care special?

As a dog trainer, I believe anyone who puts their hands on an animal should be highly trained on behavior and safety.  All of our team members are certified in pet first aid and complete a thorough training on animal behavior as well as hands on training with more experienced team members.  We recruit team members who have a passion for animals and provide them opportunities to further their careers in the pet industry.  Many dog walking and pet sitting companies utilize independent contractors, but all the Tailchasers Pet Care Professionals are employees, to maintain quality of care and consistency in our training.  We use proceeds from our company to give back to the community through animal shelters, rescues, and school programs. 

Tell us about your lovable furry family members that were photographed with you today.

Floyd is a 1 year old German Shorthair Pointer who was rescued as a service dog flunky.  Finn is a 3 year old pit bull, jack russel, shihtzu, beagle mix whose pregnant mom was pulled from a kill shelter in Kentucky.

Where does your family like to go out to eat in the area? 

Well, during the pandemic we don’t go out to eat, but our favorite is Mago because of their amazing guacamole, and Chessie’s because our son, Dylan, loves the train. 

I know Matt is a singer/songwriter, and former member of 7^th Heaven, Green Fourteen, as well as other bands.  Does this mean that your home is always alive with singing and music?

He does sing quite a bit; our whole family does.  He stays up late at night working on amazing original songs.  My favorite to hear him sing is “Somewhere Out There” by Our Lady Peace.

When you are not at home/work, where are you most likely to be found? 

At the lake kayaking, fishing, and swimming with our family. 

What is your secret talent that many people might not know? 

I play the flute and trombone.  My bachelor’s degree is in music education, so I studied to be a band director.

For information on being featured in the JFP Blog, please contact Jennifer Falat Photography at jenniferfalat@gmail.com, or 847.890.9448.