Meet an Amazing Woman Helping to Support Dog-Friendly Businesses

March 23 was National Puppy Day so many people showed their pups a little extra love, give them a few extra special treats, and maybe even let them sleep on their nice warm people bed. Everybody shows their best friend that they love them in their own individual way. But, according to the popular country music station WGLR. one woman is showing an entire Midwestern town of dogs some love by helping the entire community with becoming much more dog-friendly.

About Alison Stoffel

This caring woman’s name is Allison Stoffel and the community she lives in is Monona, WI. She has her very own dog training academy called Copper Ridge Dog Training. She says that she named her business after her beloved Golden Retriever/ Lab mix named Copper. Her goal in this time of COVID-19 is to make a really positive difference in people’s (and dogs’) lives.

Growing Up With Dogs

Allison grew up with dogs throughout her entire life. That’s why she aims to instill in people the necessary skills for just getting out of their houses and enjoying some type of dog-friendly business. This is an especially good time for doing just that since both adoptions and dog sales are increasing exponentially during the pandemic.

COVID Puppies

Alison further explains that there have been lots of people who have adopted dogs just because they have more time at home. They’re working from home perhaps and therefore think that having all day at home makes having a dog not only a good idea but also an easy endeavor. However, they often find out very quickly that their beloved pooch doesn’t really have the best manners when their pet parent is on an important business call. Or, maybe it just turns out to be a bit harder to take care of the kids and the dog at the same time. She says that, in the dog training biz, they call those COVID puppies and end up working with a lot of them when they get calls from work-at-home Moms and Dads with a new dog in the house.

Patio Pups

Copper Ridge Dog Training has a new training program, too, and it’s called Patio Pups. It’s a program that supports dog-friendly bars, breweries, coffee shops, and restaurants. Alison hopes to start getting local people outside to begin practicing some vital social skills along with their best friends. So, her goal is to support those particular local businesses throughout the summer as many patios around town are opening up and becoming increasingly popular every day.

Living and Working in Dane County

According to IB in Business, when asked what she likes best about life in Dane County, Alison said that she had been living in madison ever since she was a little girl, (except for the short time she lived in San Diego after college). She also said that she loves the community, the life, and the joy there, and that’s why she made her way back home. She further related that the people in the community always seem to be celebrating the wins of one another and rallying together in times of trial. And, she continued on to explain that there’s a true entrepreneurial spirit in the city that she loves to call home and it serves to encourage both creativity and growth among its residents.

Making Positive Changes

When she was asked what part of her business seems to be the most rewarding and fun, she said that it was definitely when they get to paint a picture for a new client of what their life with Fido could actually look like following training. Living with a difficult dog or experiencing bad pooch behavior of some kind each and every day, end up making people feel somewhat stuck and even trapped within those walls of their own creation. She stated that they work especially hard at showing pet parents that not just their dogs can change as a result, but they’re actually capable of changing and thriving as well. However, what that also means is that they need to change their expectations and beliefs, too, and that frankly, that change may not always come easy. But, when they help them with the task of truly visualizing the possible lifestyle, then it becomes so much easier and a lot more fun for everybody!

The High Point of Her Career

According to IB in Business, so far, the high point of Alison’s career was probably starting her own dog training business. She said that she made that giant leap into the field of dog training a number of years ago after she made the big decision to quit her office job. She further stated that it was definitely the best decision she had ever made for her family and herself. She had worked on it a bit for several years but it was more or less in the background and it was a while before she finally decided to go out on her own. She then explained that she felt the need to turn her passion into a real dog training business that was squarely aimed at helping dog owners to thrive alongside their dogs and that she’s really enjoyed the entire process as she learned how to go about developing her business into one that would have a true impactful on the community.

What She’d Tell Her Younger Self

When asked about what she would tell her younger self if she could go back and do so, Alison said that she was very quiet, lacked confidence, and was always afraid to speak up for herself back when she was around 21. So, she would tell that younger self to find her inner strength and take a step outside of her comfort zone by reading plenty of books, asking questions, and trying new things even in the face of failure. True growth can only come when choosing to take a chance even when you’re a bit nervous about it. Alison says that she absolutely loves having the opportunity to work with such a wide range of dog-owners and pet-friendly businesses in her community. And so, this woman is helping to support dog-friendly businesses, too.

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