Today we’d like to introduce you to Christy Mulert
Hi Christy, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
We purchased my husbands family acreage in 2007 and moved their in 2008. Our family has always loved animals so this was the perfect setting for our family. I was a stay at home mom for many years, but as my children needed me less and less, I realized I needed a job. This is when my husband and I started to do our research and business plan. It took 5 years of planning and saving to start building my dream. With my husband and a friend who are both in the construction business, the building/business opened in December of 2016. Since then we have expanded two times, once in 2019 right before COVID, and then again in 2024.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I have always been a hard worker and failure is not an option. But here are a few bumps in the road starting our business:
*Permitting Process with the county – I had to get all my neighbors approval (not easy with barking dogs as my clients) and to classify my property for Commercial use.
Financial – Loans of this type were not the norm for banking because we couldn’t parcel off the business from the personal property.
Fear during Covid as I had just expanded my business and the world shut down
LONG Hours, I had a commercial cleaning business that I still worked at as the one and only employee. So in the evenings after working a 10 hour day at the kennel, Grabbing a bite to eat for supper, I would then go clean at a business until 9 p.m. Then I would go back to the kennel and then go let the dogs out for the last time at night, then went to bed. The next day my day started at 6 a.m. This is a 7 day a week job and I am open 365 days a week. I worked both jobs for two years when I knew the kennel business could financially stand on its own. Most kennel business only stay open for three years because of the long hours and physical demand on a person.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
We provide daycare and overnight boarding for Dogs. We have activities every day that all dogs participate in and we also do 5 or 6 group walks a day. We are open every day of the year and our day starts at 6 a.m. and ends at 9 p.m. I started out with just myself working, but currently I have 14 employees with 3 of them being full-time. I started out taking 10 dogs and today I can take up to 70.
The relationships we have with our clients and their dog(s) is like family. I answer the phone, emails and text messages after hours so that I can be there for my clients during their time of need. We are open 365 days a year so we can provide care of their furry family members during their needs for care: Vacations, school sporting events, work trips, weddings, funerals, emergency health care.
We specialize in the human contact we give our guests by spending over 8 hours a day with our guests. Whether it is sitting on a couch petting them, brushing them, playing fetch, doing organized activities or taking them on an individual walk, or off leash group walk. The quality of care we give to your animal is superior and the meticulously clean facility we have for dogs makes us the BEST In Southern Minnesota for the past three years in a row.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
When I clean at night I put my ear buds in and love to listen to a couple different Murder/Mistry pod casts. But if in the mood for a Dog related pod cast I like For Dogs Sake or Sexier than a squirrel.
I have a great Facebook support group for Dog Boarding that I look at daily for input or advice from other Dog Boarding owners!
I have a great relationship with a local dog trainer, Megan at Havana Dog Training; All local vets in Owatonna, Waseca, Clarks Grove and Faribault. Food and Nutrition I contact Patricia at Farmers Feed and Seed. Grooming I have 6 of them in Owatonna that I have a relationship with. I also have great relationships with a boarding facility in Faribault, Waseca, Clarks Grove and Northfield that I refer my clients to if I am full. At Christmas time I deliver Sweet Treats to 24 business that Support my business here in Owatonna and then 12 out of town businesses.
I just joined a book club in January as I like a variety of books. My most recent favorite book is the Women by Kristin Hannah. I like a variety of books, but do not enjoy self help books.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tailsandtrailsboarding.com
- Facebook: Tails and Trails Boarding & Daycare
