Meet Kerri Gebler of Pawz Here

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kerri Gebler.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Our family always had dogs and I started training in 4-H when I was 11 years old with a Sheltie my dad purchased for me. Eventually I explored other venues in the dog world beginning with obedience competition when I was a teenager, training guard dogs and conducting all-breed obedience classes in my twenties, service dogs beginning in my thirties, and eventually search and rescue dogs. Training dogs (really their owners, the dogs are easy!) was a way for me to supplement a tight financial situation when I was raising and homeschooling four kids. It also provided a way for me to put myself through school and earn a degree in Paralegal Studies post-divorce, that degree being the first of many bucket list items and dreams.

I offer a flexible schedule tailored to the needs of my clients. I study everything I can get my hands on to better understand how dogs communicate with each other. Learning how to read dog behavior caused a fundamental shift in the way I approached training, and I began to focus on educating the owners. More than anything I believe people appreciate it when I listened to them talk about their dogs. This approach, coupled with behavior modification and problem solving (using mostly positive reinforcement and balance), generated more word-of-mouth business than I could have possibly imagined. I’m blessed to have many repeat clients as they acquire new dogs. I also still offer the first lesson for free with no obligation and no catch. People need to know that you care, and I do.

Actually, as a lifelong community service volunteer, I give away more of my time than I sell. Most of the non-profit organizations I donate my efforts to as an officer, volunteer or board member are animal related. Consequently, my name is frequently tagged on social media. My dad was a strong believer in paying it forward. It’s how I was raised, and it’s how I raised all of my kids.

That paralegal degree also came in handy when I needed to traverse the perils of government red tape and form my own non-profit to train service dogs. Working part time as a freelance paralegal has helped me in my other business dealings as well. It’s also allowed me to keep the flexible schedule my clients value.

My calling, my niche, is to facilitate a productive bond between dogs and their owners, and people know that I’m willing to go the extra mile to do that.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No, it hasn’t been a smooth road at all. The biggest obstacles I faced initially and long term were a horribly dysfunctional marriage, multiple out of state moves, and a lack of formal education past high school.

Finances were always a struggle as well. My former spousal unit had difficulty maintaining a job and relationships, whereas I’ve never met a stranger. So, there was pressure to help support our family in a way that kept me home and under his eye while I still maintained a house, home-schooled our children, and worked many hours. We relocated to Missouri in 2008. It was hard to walk away from a successful business, friends, and family when we moved. I filed for divorce two days after my youngest son completed high school in 2011. The divorce was unnecessarily ugly and expensive. As soon as it was over, I moved back to Georgia and started training again.

I also had some hard and cold beliefs about training that probably wouldn’t have changed had it not been for the internet message boards and people willing to share their knowledge. I had to swallow some serious pride and admit that the way I had learned to train in the seventies was outdated and abusive. Dogs are much smarter than we gave them credit for in years past. Seminars and workshops provide hands-on learning experiences and sometimes brutal wake-up calls. Now I embrace the wake-up calls and relish every opportunity to learn.

Paws Here – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I offer all-breed obedience training, behavior modification, and problem solving on a flexible schedule. I prefer that people bring puppies as soon as they acquire them so we can imprint with the correct behavior. I usually get a phone call when someone has created a monster they need fixed, but am happy to help any time and at any stage of the dog’s life.

 

What I specialize in are problem dogs, or rather dogs that people believe are a problem right up until I show the owners how they have a hand in it too. Really, I train owners, the dogs are easy. People refer to me because I listen to them, I ask targeted questions to get to the heart of the problem, and I show them how to fix it most often by changing what they’re doing. I don’t have a magic wand, unfortunately, but it’s funny to watch dogs transform their behavior right in front of their owners. People need to realize that the dog just didn’t know what it was the owners wanted.

What I’m most proud of as a company is that I haven’t advertised in twelve years, all of my business is word-of-mouth referral. The veterinarians and groomers in this area refer to me as much as previous clients do because they see my “before and after.” I’m truly humbled by their confidence.

What sets me apart from others is my flexible schedule and willingness to be brutally honest when warranted, but to season that honesty with a bit of humor.

I’m known for being very direct. I’m also known for putting people at ease. How I manage to accomplish both is beyond me. I’m also known for being a boots-on-the-ground person when a need arises.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is setting a goal and reaching it. It doesn’t matter if the goal is large or small, you just have to endeavor to work toward it. Success is knowing you dealt fairly with all those who were sent your way, knowing that you can look someone in the eye and feel you did your level best to help them. It’s freedom to think and to breathe, to smile at your accomplishments and learn from your mistakes. Success is the opportunity to share what you’ve learned with someone who hasn’t learned it yet. It isn’t about public recognition, it’s about personal recognition. Success is when the people who were owners-in-training become good friends with great dogs, and realizing I never noticed the transition.

Contact Info:

• Address: 646 MacArthur Dr.,
  Griffin, GA 30224
• Phone: 770.883.1930
• Email: [email protected]

 

Image Credit: Michael Renew

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