Who takes care of your pooch at the Palace?

Since 2004 the Pooch Palace staff has been dedicated to providing a fun, caring and stimulating environment for your dog.

René As a designer and owner of the Pooch Palace, my goal was to create a place where dogs would love to come to and people would feel good about leaving their four-legged family members. That meant rooms for dogs with windows to look out of and a big back yard--with grass and trees--to run in, in the company of other dogs. I've been caring for animals as far back as I can remember, and since 2004 I've had the pleasure of getting to know hundreds of dogs and their caretakers. Everyone is unique and has something to teach us. My days are spent in the present-tenseness of dogs, and their love of a good day's play and a clean, comfortable resting place is what it's all about. A book I would recommend is If A Dog's Prayers Were Answered. . . Bones Would Rain from the Sky. This was an interesting book because the material could pertain to the animal-human bond, or just as well the human-human bond. (I would also recommend the Walter the Farting Dog books!) And a movie I thought was very well done was the true-life story of Hachiko. In fact there's a statue erected in Tokyo in honor of this dog, who was faithful to his master 'til the end of his days.

Adam My first dog was Christy, my uncle's dog. She was a golden-retriever who, in my mind, liked to wrestle and roll around. I'm sure Uncle Jay meant to eventually get her back but she lived with us for so many years it feels like always. My second dog was Annabelle, a beagle received at a shared September birthday party with my sister. When little 'Belly' died, I didn't think we'd ever get another. Then I met Rene and the rest, as they say, is history. Now it seems like we have hundreds of dogs and my favorite part of taking care of all these canine friends is watching them run and play in the backyard we built out in the country in the woods. I recommend the fun 2006 dog flick Eight Below, which I describe as a "delightful romp."

Ashley Growing up I always found myself drawn to animals. If I was somewhere where a person owned a pet, it was a safe bet I was somewhere where that pet was. I brought countless injured or dying animals home with me, where my grandma would take the extra step to call a wildlife rehabilitator to come to their rescue. My mother had a friend who owned a deer farm when I was younger, and I was lucky enough to raise one or two fawns each summer. We had two cats as well, one which had three litters of kittens. It was so interesting to watch the kittens and the fawns interact. I love interspecies relationships. My love and attraction to animals never faded. I went through the Veterinary Technician program at Kirkwood, and I've had some experience working at a vet clinic as well as the Humane Society. I am fascinated by animal behavior and love seeing the different personalities of the dogs at the Palace. I really enjoy spending time with the dogs outside and watching them interact with each other. I currently have a mixed-breed dog named Basie, the Palace "greeter dog," and a beautiful silver-shaded Persian cat with the biggest green owl eyes, named Mingus. recommended dog-related book: If A Dog's Prayers Were Answered. . . Bones Would Rain From The Sky, by Suzanne Clothier recommended dog-related movie: Homeward Bound

Jenni I hail from Solon. I went to Solon High, and from there went on to attend a year of the Veterinary Technician program at Kirkwood. After that I went to the University of Iowa to get my bachelors of science in Environmental Science and Sustainability. I have had a lot of experience working with dogs. I worked at All Pets Veterinary Clinic in Iowa City as a Veterinary Technician for two years and have been with the Pooch Palace as a Dog Care Specialist/Manager since June 2010. Currently, I have an 11-month-old Bernese Mountain Dog, who is the Palace greeter-dog-in-training, named "Sadie." Sadie has a feline brother named "Franklin" who she loves to play with! I really enjoy getting to know a dog's personality and characteristics. It's very fulfilling to be able to know a dog so well and be able to establish a bond with him. I find it fascinating watching dogs interact and learn from each other. recommended dog-related movie: Babe