A Goodbye That Changed Everything
Raina wasn't just our dog. She was the one who curled up next to us on the hardest days, who taught us patience, and who made our family feel complete. When we lost her, the grief was overwhelming — but underneath it was something else: a clear sense that Raina deserved more than just being missed. She deserved to be honored.
In the months that followed, we started paying closer attention to how dogs were cared for in our community. We saw kennels packed wall to wall, anxious dogs with no one to comfort them, and well-meaning facilities so overwhelmed that “personalized attention” was a marketing phrase, not a reality. We knew we could do better — the way Raina would have wanted us to.
“Losing Raina taught us what truly matters in pet care: presence, patience, and treating every dog like family.”
Building Something Smaller, On Purpose
When we founded Paws & Applause, the very first decision we made was to cap our care at 15 dogs. Not 50. Not 100. Fifteen. Most boarding facilities would call that a bad business decision. We call it the only way to actually know each dog — their quirks, their fears, the way they like to be greeted in the morning.
Maddie brings the entrepreneurial vision and a woman veteran's commitment to discipline and follow-through. David brings his NePoPo® Graduate training credentials and a deep respect for the way dogs actually learn. Together, with our two Belgian Malinois Gilbert and Grimm, we've built the kind of place we wished had existed when Raina was still with us.
A Promise to Every Dog
Every dog who stays with us is treated the way we wish someone had treated Raina on the days we couldn't be there: with calm hands, eye contact, the right amount of structure, and the understanding that they are someone's whole world.
That's why we exist. That's the promise behind every walk, every grooming session, every training breakthrough, every overnight stay. Raina's name is in our footer for a reason — she's the standard we hold ourselves to.
In loving memory of Raina — the dog who started it all.