THE OWNER
THE HUMANS @ MOUNTAIN PAWS
Hello and thanks for checking out Mountain Paws! I'm Tasha. I've had a lifelong love & passion for dogs and the outdoors. In 1998, I noticed that there was a lot missing in the dog care service industry in Vancouver; quality, small group dog walks, and customized, small group, in-home boarding that offered a high level of professionalism. With this knowledge I combined my two passions and made a career for myself. 22 years and 3 successful dog care businesses later we moved across the Province and settled in Rossland, BC where I started Mountain Paws. We now reside in Castlegar, BC but still serve Rossland and Trail.
I intrinsically love caring and advocating for dogs and have years of invaluable hands on experience working with dogs. I have Dog First Aid certificates, training certificates & experience, behavioral studies, diet courses and back country travel & guiding experience as well as a diploma in Outdoor Recreation Management, Also having Wilderness Rescue & Occupational First Aid Level 3 has taught me to operate my businesses in a *safety first* manner. Respecting the environment as well as other trail users are also important factors in running my business with integrity!
THE HUMANS @ MOUNTAIN PAWS
THE OWNER
Hello and thanks for checking out Mountain Paws! I'm Tasha. I've had a lifelong love & passion for dogs and the outdoors. In 1998, I noticed that there was a lot missing in the dog care service industry in Vancouver; quality, small group dog walks, and customized, small group, in-home boarding that offered a high level of professionalism. With this knowledge I combined my two passions and made a career for myself. 20 years and 3 still thriving dog care businesses later we moved across the Province and settled in Rossland, BC where I started Mountain Paws. We now reside in Castlegar, BC but still offer dog walking in Rossland, Trail, Fruitvale and of course Castlegar.
I intrinsically love caring and advocating for dogs and have years of invaluable hands on experience working with dogs. I have Dog First Aid certificates, training certificates & experience, behavioral studies, diet courses, back country travel & guiding experience as well as a diploma in Outdoor Recreation Management. Also having Wilderness Rescue & Occupational First Aid Level 3 has taught me to operate my businesses in a *safety first* manner. Respecting the environment as well as other trail users are also important factors in running my business with integrity!
THE DOG LOVIN' DREAM TEAM
TRACEY, (The Manager Extraordinaire!!!) I met Tasha a few years ago, while hiking with my dog, and was impressed by the way she managed the dogs in her care. I began thinking then how fortunate she was to be making her living doing this. Fast forward a few years, and now I get to combine my love for dogs with my love of being outside. And it's a bonus working with Tasha, and her amazing team. I have loved, owned and trained dogs all of my life, mostly my own German Shepherds, and sometimes for other people. My background includes working with children, especially preschoolers with various challenges, which taught me to make learning fun. The same principles apply to training dogs, cats, and horses, etc. (Even cows!) Envision the behavior you desire, position yourself and the dog for success, always end on a positive note, try to catch them doing the right thing, and praise them for it! I look forward to meeting all of our clients and working with their furry best friends. Blessings, Tracey.
CHANTELLE- Animals, adventure and being amongst nature are my favourite things! From a young age I have absolutely loved animals, like a magnetic pull. My life has been surrounded by them always having a dog or multiple by my side. Animals just seem to gravitate to me and it definitely works both ways! I have much experience with daily care, wound care, training and building trust and forming bonds with animals. Working with horses and naturally breaking youngsters at a young age was such an invaluable experience. Farm life is where you will find me tending to all my dogs, horses, cats, chickens and ducks needs. I work hard at all I do and have so much fun doing it! Living in Casino allows us endless, year-round adventures from trail rides to snowshoeing, hiking and trekking with the pups. Can't wait to explore, adventure, connect and build relationships with all your lovely puppers!
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Hi! I’m KAYLA. I live Oasis but have made my way around the kootenays since about 2009, when I moved here from Saskatchewan. There I was a vet tech. After moving to BC I joined the trades as a welder/fabricator, and did that for many years, and still do it here and there on the side. I was a volunteer firefighter for 4 years and fell in love with EMS. After doing that for a year with crazy hours, I realized I was missing out being with my 2 kids. So I took the summer off, and we did all the things we loved doing like camping,swimming and exploring, and found some new passions like paddleboarding, and kayaking. After enjoying a summer with the family, I wanted to find something I loved doing that I could be with my kids lots. So with my love of animals (we have 2 dogs, a cat, a bunny, and 2 bearded dragons) the MountainPaws job was perfect!
Growing up I always had dogs in my life; I am definitely a dog person! It’s very rare that I meet a dog that I dont have an instant connection with. A lot of my dog experience comes from working in vets clinics and I have also trained my border collie to herd sheep and later on transitioned to herding horses. I look forward to meeting you and your fur kids!
MIKE: I left Vancouver behind over a decade ago and am super happy to call the Kootenays home. I live in Castlegar with my teenage daughter and our puppy Dunkin. I’ve had animals since leaving the city; raising chickens and ducks, fish in the pond and tank, cats and dogs! Dogs have always had a special place in my heart. I love all breeds and sizes with an affinity to the great big softies who think they’re lap dogs. Can’t wait to explore the outdoors and work with your incredible dogs!
Hello, I'm Ben. My love for the outdoors is only surpassed by my passion for animals. I have a ton of experience training all types of animals using a multitude of training methods. My biggest focus when training is consistency and patience. It is so rewarding hitting training goals and I strongly believe in setting them up for success. Growing up with dogs, birds, and horses has shaped my work ethic and calm demeanor. Outside of hiking adventures, I spend my free time caring for my horses, my bird, and my cat. I also have basic animal first aid,. I'm excited to be a part of the fantastic team at Mountain Paws and offer your dog the best, most enriching hikes!
