🐾 Savvy 🐾
Playgroup Leader | Assistant Trainer
Savvy has been with us since 2022 but her love of dogs has been a lifetime in the making. Dogs have been a “special subject” of hers ever since she received a stuffed poodle from her beloved Papa, who had many dogs himself over the decades. Her interests lie in breed function and history, and is often fascinated by dogs who meet as well as subvert breed expectations. As far as history goes, it may have been written on the back of a horse, but it will always have the companionship of a dog. Being from Virginia made this apparent as it’s home to the founder of the American Foxhound breed, George Washington.
Savvy was formally introduced to the training aspect of dogs when she met her friend Esther’s diabetic alert dog, a standard poodle named Renzo. Esther would go on to explain the nuances and techniques she’s learned in regards to training a dog, especially one that’s considered medical equipment. When it comes to her own views on training, Savvy has a focus on positive reinforcement. She also is a firm believer in relationship building which she credits to her many years working with children of all ages. Her philosophy is that to grow as a person, especially in a care position, you need to be able to shift your perspective and what you think you know as you gain more information on a topic.
You can primarily find her at our Fitchburg Dog Den location as well as at the Puppy Den, where she loves watching the puppies grow into the best they can be. When she’s not on the daycare floor you may spot her assisting classes, her bread and butter being working with puppies and adolescents. It’s a wonderful feeling seeing them and their people bond through learning and laughter.
At Savvy’s place, as well as at our Fitchburg location, you can find her own darling pups Matilda and Scruffy Money. Matilda is a sassy standard poodle who’s as smart as her legs are long! This snuggly firecracker loves to bound around like a deer and go on adventures with her bestie, Astro! On the opposite side of the spectrum is Scruffy Money, a sweet, elderly, shih tzu mix. His favorite activities include scrungling (that’s Savvy’s term for rolling around on the carpet), making nests out of loads of laundry, and patrolling the neighborhood.
When she’s not making her coworkers groan with her terrible jokes or hanging out with her daycare group, you can often find her at Fast CAT events with Matilda or seeing what experiences life has to offer. Some of her favorite things to do are visiting the Bristol Renaissance Faire, exploring museums, trying different restaurants, and hiking to new places while playing Pokémon Go. She also used to be a scare actor at Busch Gardens Williamsburg and loves going to similar haunted attractions.
