A Bremen business catering to four-legged clients throughout Lincoln and Knox counties is looking forward to expanding its clientele following a promising start.
All Creatures Pet Adventures, founded and operated by Amanda Glenn, of Bremen, offers pet-sitting and exercise services to clients and their pets in the two Midcoast counties.
“So far I’m really enjoying this. It has been great,” Glenn said.
Glenn, a former English teacher, officially opened her pet-focused business in January 2015.
The name of her operation, All Creatures Pet Adventures, is an ode to James Herriot, a British veterinarian and author who chronicled his career working with animals in his book “All Creatures Great and Small.”
Through the eight months her business has been up and running, Glenn has found the pack hikes with her clients’ dogs to be particularly rewarding.
Glenn explained the pack hikes involve a number of dogs, with the size of the group dependent upon the breed and temperament of the animals in her care.
“Three is a good number for the pack hikes because it maintains the pack mentality for the dogs but allows me to keep an eye on them,” Glenn said.
The pack hikes involve two hours of exercise with the group of dogs and Glenn said she prefers to hold the pack hikes in safe areas, where there are no issues of trespassing and the dogs can run around and safely enjoy the outdoors.
She said the hikes have gone over well and offer a great opportunity for the animals to get exercise.
Glenn also makes sure to snap a few photos of the dog’s adventures.
“I always send photos of the dogs having fun to their owners,” Glenn said.
Glenn added that she initiated the pack hikes because it was something she thought her dog, Felix, would enjoy.
Glenn found Felix abandoned in Wyoming as she was returning to Maine a few years ago following a time working in education reform in California.
She estimates Felix is around 4 years old and is adamant that her four-legged friend has helped her get her pet care business off the ground.
“Felix has been a great ambassador. He is really good at socializing other dogs,” Glenn said.
In addition to the pack hikes, All Creatures Pet Adventures offers pet-sitting for both dogs and cats, in addition to drop-in visits complete with frequent check-ins for both types of animals.
She added that she is also available for farm-sitting and can take care of dogs at her home in emergencies.
Her work with area animals has given Glenn an opportunity to work with senior dogs and adjust the care regimen to fit the needs of the specific animal.
In the case of older dogs, she noted it is important to make sure the dog is comfortable and not experiencing stressful activity or situations.
“The hardest thing is that it takes longer than people think to get to know a dog. Especially with senior dogs I want to make sure I understand all of the dog’s signals,” Glenn said.
According to Glenn, business picked up for her in mid-summer and she has stayed busy throughout August.
“In mid-July, out of nowhere, I got slammed. August has also been crazy busy,” Glenn said.
Though she notes there may be a slowdown with the busy summer tourist season winding down, Glenn is optimistic that she will keep busy in the autumn season, as busy family schedules return with the resumption of the school year.
For more information about All Creatures Pet Adventures, contact Amanda Glenn at 248-2606 or allcreaturespetadventures@gmail.com or find All Creatures Pet Adventures on Facebook or at www.allcreaturespetadventures.com.