Bark N Barrel LLC

12/27/2025

Let me say this gently… and then not so gently.

The support you’re waiting for? It’s not coming from a client, a partner, or the universe dropping a miracle in your lap. It’s coming from you.

You started a business to be the boss. Which unfortunately means at some point you have to do boss-level s**t. Uncomfortable s**t. Grown-up s**t. “Why am I like this?” s**t.

When dog pros even think about changing something, fear kicks the door in. Your brain immediately jumps to: my business will fail, my clients will leave, I’ll be broke and starting over. Dramatic. Oscar-worthy. Completely unhelpful.

That fear isn’t intuition. It’s your ego clinging to what’s familiar. And even anxiety, stress, and chaos feel “safe” to your nervous system because you know them. Your body goes, “Oh yes, this chaos? We know her.”

If you want to crawl out of burnout, you can’t wait for fear to disappear. You have to tell it to S**U and take one step anyway. Not ten. One.

That’s what I did. I downsized my business over six months, not overnight, not recklessly. It started with one well-written email explaining what was changing, how, and why. Turns out, when you communicate like a professional, people usually respond like adults. No one imploded. No bad reviews. No lives crumbled.

So if you’re overstimulated, stressed, and one bad text away from burning it all down, pause. Breathe. Ask yourself: what’s one thing I can change that would help? Your schedule. Drop-off times. Walk days. One s**tty client.

Pick one. Write the message. Give notice. And full fu***ng send it! 🔥

Will you be scared? Yep.
Will you feel nauseous? Probably.

But you might be shocked by how supportive people actually are. And if someone pushes back? Congrats they just showed you they’re not your client.

I got you. You’re not crazy. And you’re way more capable than burnout has convinced you you are. My DMs are open, I’ll hype you the whole way. 🐾🔥

12/26/2025

Most of us got into dog care thinking it would be all tail wags, puppy kisses, and “I get paid to hang out with dogs??” energy. And for a minute, it is. Then it gets real… real fast.

Suddenly you’re responsible for living beings, people’s emotions, their schedules, their guilt, their anxiety, their expectations. You’re managing behavior, health, safety, money, time, and everyone else’s emergencies usually at the same time. You’re “on” constantly. And somehow that turns into the baseline.

You wake up already tired.
You call anxiety “being responsible.”
You call exhaustion “part of the job.”
You tell yourself, this is just how this industry is.

Meanwhile dog care workers, vet techs, vets, rescues, daycare, dog walkers, and groomers are dropping like flies. Not because they don’t love animals , but because the mental and emotional load is crushing. Compassion fatigue. Decision fatigue. Nervous systems stuck in fight or flight. And no one teaches you how to protect yourself from that.

Survival mode will lie to you.
It’ll convince you that rest has to be earned.
That boundaries make you selfish.
That clients have a chokehold on your livelihood.
That if you slow down, everything will fall apart.

It won’t.

This industry doesn’t just require skill ,it requires mindset work, boundary work, and some deep human s**t. Learning to regulate your nervous system. Learning to say no without spiraling. Learning that your worth isn’t tied to being available 24/7. Learning that caring deeply doesn’t mean sacrificing yourself.

You deserve to wake up and love your career again.
You deserve to feel calm while doing work you’re good at.
You deserve a business that supports your life not one that drains it.

You are not weak for feeling this way.
You’re just done surviving.
And that’s where real change starts. 🐾🔥

12/26/2025

Dear algorithm,
please let this land on the people who…

• run a dog business but are tired of being “too nice” for free
• are learning that boundaries are not mean, they’re self-respect
• love dogs deeply but refuse to let them (or clients) run their life
• are on a healing journey and unlearning people-pleasing
• believe structure creates freedom (for dogs and humans)
• appreciate sarcasm, dark humor, and saying the quiet part out loud
• value professionalism without corporate kennel energy
• are rebuilding their business to actually support their nervous system
• know burnout isn’t a badge of honor
• want community, not competition

If that’s you… hi. You’re in the right place. 🐾

12/23/2025

Let’s keep this introduction party rolling, shall we 😂

Meet the Cat Club of Bark N Barrel: Huckleberry (aka Sean), Boo, and Cornbread (aka Corn). Yes… these are the cats.

The question I get all the time:
“How the hell do none of the dogs attack the cats?”
Valid. Extremely valid.

Answer: these cats are not rookies. They were raised around dogs, are highly social, and have fully mastered the art of the murder mittens when warranted. Miraculously, no dog has gone home with a bloody snoot or missing eye. Yet.

Huckleberry is the king. He will hold his ground if a dog charges him and is most likely to teach your dog a very important life lesson: don’t f**k with cats. His resting dementor face alone is usually enough to shut things down.

Boo prefers a low-profile lifestyle. She spends most days under the bed or behind the couch, but comes out in the evenings when it’s quiet. She has intense stranger danger issues, so if you’re human she may pretend to like you… then allegedly go for your Achilles tendon as you walk by. These are unconfirmed reports from my house sitter. I personally know her only as an aggressively clingy cuddle bug.

Corn is your standard orange tabby chaos goblin. He thrives on bad decisions and regularly tests cat-dog boundaries by stalking or rubbing on dogs who absolutely did not consent to that interaction. If things go sideways, he retreats to either me or his big brother Huck to save his du***ss. He’s the youngest, the most annoying, and also the friendliest. He’ll greet everyone once the chaos settles.

People always ask why their dogs don’t chase them. Simple answer: my cats don’t run. Boo kind of waddles, but the boys? Zero sprinting. No run = no chase instinct activated.

Indoor cats are very different from your neighborhood feral ninjas.
And don’t tell them this… but they pretty much run the house around here 😌🐾

P.s yes my cats sleep in my dogs crates sometimes and yes sometimes I accidentally lock them in with the dogs 😂 safe to say my cats are crate trained!

12/23/2025

I’ve been off social media for a little while… not because I’m sad, missing, or spiraling 😂
Just recalibrating.

I’ve been doing some behind the scenes upgrades.
You know… deleting old beliefs, fixing unhealthy patterns, clearing cache on past versions of myself.
Very professional. Very intentional. 😂

Turns out life has a LOT more to offer when you stop dragging around stuff that no longer fits. So I let some things go. Not in a dramatic “burn it all down” way more of a “thanks for the lesson, you can go now” way.

I read books instead of doom scrolling.
I healed some old things I pretended didn’t bother me.
I changed how I see the world and honestly, how I see myself.

I’ve always been a “find the good” kind of person. But here’s the thing, you can be positive and still have old wounds running the show quietly in the background. And until you deal with those… growth hits a ceiling.

So this is me. Same humor. Same heart. Same sarcasm.
Just lighter. Clearer. Happier.
A slightly upgraded model.

I’m going to share pieces of this journey as I go. You might think I’m a little crazy. You might be curious. You might just be here for the vibes.
Either way—this chapter is unapologetically me. ✨

12/22/2025

Let’s clear something up real quick:
Home-style boarding isn’t “fancy,” “extra,” or “spoiling your dog.”
It’s just… normal life. With boundaries.

Traditional kennels aren’t evil, but they are loud, chaotic, and built for volume. Rows of runs. Constant barking. Rotating staff. Your dog might be safe, but they’re basically living at a sleepover where no one ever turns the lights off. Cool for some dogs. Absolute hell for others.

Home-style boarding? It looks more like your dog’s actual life. Couches. Beds. Routine. Humans around. Quiet time. You know… sanity.

Smaller groups mean I actually know your dog. Not “oh yeah, that brown one in run 14,” but I know how they play, when they need a break, what their side-eye means, and when they’re about to choose violence. That kind of supervision matters.

It also means individualized care. Feeding schedules stay the same. Meds don’t get rushed. Dogs that need space get space. Dogs that need structure get structure. Nobody’s forced into chaos just because “that’s how the system works.”

This setup is especially clutch for anxious dogs, seniors, puppies, or dogs who don’t thrive in loud, high stim environments. Less noise. Fewer dogs. More humans. Shocking how well that works, right?

The biggest difference though? Connection.
Your dog isn’t just being “housed.” They’re living their life while you’re gone, usually living their best life! 🤣

If you want your dog treated like a number, a kennel makes sense.
If you want them treated like an individual… yeah, this is why home-style boarding exists.

And no, it’s not for everyone but for the right dogs? It’s a game changer. 🐾🔥

12/20/2025

12/18/2025

“The universe doesn’t have a budget, so ask for everything.”

And wow… this one hits different as 2025 starts wrapping up.

Most of us don’t realize how powerful our thoughts actually are, or how magnetic we become when we decide what we want and stop apologizing for wanting it.

Instead, we get stuck replaying the hard stuff. We complain. We dwell. We spiral. (Hi, human behavior 🙋🏻‍♀️.)

But what if we focused on the good… even the boring, easy-to-overlook good?

Our health. Our people. Hot water. Food on the table. A job we get to wake up and go to. Those things matter more than we give them credit for. Gratitude isn’t flashy, but it’s potent.

We all want things that feel out of reach.

Big dreams. Scary dreams. “Who do I think I am?” dreams.

And here’s the truth: the universe works in wild ways. You don’t need crystals, moon water, or hocus pocus to make things happen (no shade, love that for you, just not my lane).

I believe in science. I believe in momentum. I believe that when you think it, feel it, and fully embody the version of you who already has it… things start lining up.

This business started as a “hobby.”
Now it’s something past-me couldn’t even picture.

So ask for everything.

The universe isn’t checking your credit score

12/16/2025

Well since you all loved Joey so much on my last post, I guess it’s only fair I formally introduce these two absolute di*********es:

Meat Dill Pickle & Doug. My low riders. My menaces to society. The tiny CEOs running this place with zero qualifications and unlimited confidence.

If you haven’t noticed… my logo is a pit and two corgis. That’s not an accident. Joey, Dill Pickle, and Doug are the second generation of corgis + pits in my life. The OGs in the logo Jackson, Daisy, and Diesel, are the ones who started this whole “wow let’s turn our lives upside down and run a business” situation. Truly unhinged behavior on their part.

Did I intentionally plan a second generation?

Absolutely not. Joey was a complete accident. I wasn’t looking for a dog. I wasn’t shopping. I wasn’t “just browsing.” But the universe said surprise and my soul said yep, that one. End of discussion.

Apparently the universe ALSO said, “Ma’am, we are keeping the logo consistent.”

Now… the corgis. It was LITERALLY in my wedding vows that I would always have two corgis. Non-negotiable. Why? Because I fell in love with the breed as a kid when my horse trainer had one, and it’s been a lifelong obsession ever since. Dill & Doug absolutely live up to the hype.

Doug is the runner. The energizer bunny. Always chasing someone, always moving, slightly standoffish with new dogs like, “I don’t know you but I’m watching you.” Dill, on the other hand, is the social director. She greets new dogs (right after Joey), shows them around, makes them feel welcome, and often recruits them into play. She’s basically the sweet concierge making sure your stay is 5 stars. Doug is the chaotic friend who’s ready to party once you’re settled.

Together they’re Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb, inseparable besties who somehow always find each other in the chaos. They love Joey, include him when he wants to play, and keep daycare and boarding dogs fully entertained.

Zero chill. Endless personality. Wouldn’t have it any other way. 🖤🐾

12/14/2025

In 2019 I went to a paint night thinking I’d leave with a half-decent canvas and… instead

I left with my heart permanently altered. Because there, on the floor, was what looked like a giant white marshmallow, fast asleep. And something in my soul said, yeah… that one.

That marshmallow was Joey.

Joey’s story starts rough but ends real damn good. He was the product of backyard breeding. Ears docked. Prepped for sale. Until they realized he was deaf. And because of that, the breeder decided he had “no use” and wanted to euthanize him. Cool. Love that for humanity.

Thankfully, Pit Crew Sacramento Rescue stepped in before that could happen. But not before the breeders left the puppies alone with adult dogs, causing a fight—with Joey stuck right in the middle. He was rushed to the vet (by the rescue not the breeder) and started a long road of recovery. The vet warned that deaf dogs are often aggressive and that he’d need structure, consistency, and ongoing training in the right home.

Unbeknownst to my fiancé… I applied to adopt him. And my application was approved the literal day of our wedding. Yes, I waited until AFTER he signed the marriage license to tell him. No regrets. Zero. 😂

Bringing a deaf dog into my program was a risk on paper—but my gut said he was mine. And thrive? Oh, he THRIVED.

Joey is now my go-to dog for new dog introductions. He’s an incredible pit bull ambassador. A fan favorite everywhere we go with a growing fan club. Calm, balanced, playful, and not one ounce of aggression. He loves kids, small dogs, cats, and absolutely would not hurt a fly.

His days are spent couch lounging, yard zoomies, and outings. He prefers the A/C in summer (same, bud), but if it’s under 75°, he’s outside living his best life.

Joey has exceeded every expectation—and I will forever be grateful that the universe plopped a giant deaf marshmallow in my path that night. 🖤

12/11/2025

I’ll be the first to say it…

comparison will chew you up, spit you out, and leave your confidence on the sidewalk like an abandoned p**p bag… if you let it.

And in the dog world? Whew. Some of the competition is straight-up childish. Like, why are we acting like this is the Hunger Games of pet care? CALM DOWN!😂

When I started, I felt alone and unwanted. Some dog pros were bullies — the “I-hope-you-fail-so-I-feel-better” type. It stung because I genuinely wanted community. I thought we’d hype each other up, learn together, support each other. Instead it felt like walking into a room where everyone already decided you weren’t invited and they ate all the snacks.

Those loud bad apples weren’t the whole orchard. Once I found real support, everything shifted.

I stopped comparing myself to every dog walker within 100 miles. I was new. Learning. I needed to cut myself a damn break.

So I unfollowed what triggered me. Muted what made me shrink. Blocked what gave me the full-body ick. I detoxed my feed and filled it with motivation, education, and unhealthy amounts of cute dog content LOL.

When I stopped comparing myself, I finally started hearing myself. I stayed in my lane, got to work, and my business finally felt like MINE.

If you feel alone or judged, you’re not. You’re not behind. You’re not less than. You’re not supposed to look like anyone else in this industry.

There is NO competition — there are thousands of dogs. More than enough for all of us to thrive. 😂

Your path is yours. Clean up your feed, clean up your energy, and reclaim your power.

And follow me — I’ll be your friend and I’ll follow you back. 💛🐾

09/25/2025

Quick PSA: If you’ve tried calling or texting me and I’ve been radio silent — I swear I haven’t ghosted you! 👻 My eSIM was hacked and transferred without my permission. Everything is secure now, but my phone is basically a very expensive paperweight until this gets fixed.

The dogs boarding with me are happy, safe, and probably laughing at my tech issues. 🐶✨

If you need me, please message me here, email me, or use Time to Pet. As long as I’m on WiFi, I can still respond — just don’t expect any phone calls/text until I win this cage match with my stupid phone provider. 🥊📱