What’s Your Dream Job: One Paw at a Time Non-Profit Mission of Healing Hearts through the Blues
The Significance of Duty I chose the name Duty Danes because it’s exactly how I feel about my dogs. It isn’t just a business name; it’s the responsibility I carry for them every single day. In my heart, it’s my duty to do the best I can for my dogs. Sometimes that means they get things before I do—that’s just the way it is and always will be. I am incredibly passionate about my dogs and I am dedicated to them.
Why Great Danes? Great Danes are these huge, gentle souls that just know how you’re feeling. They act like a mirror to your emotions, and they’ve given me a kind of grounding and support that you just don’t find anywhere else. My bond with these dogs is beautiful and it’s personal. They give us everything they have, so they deserve a leader who is just as devoted to them.
Healing Hearts through the Blues We often talk about the blues as a state of sadness or despair, but my goal is to redefine what that color means. I want to take away the cold blue of isolation and replace it with a special kind of blue—the steady, loyal, and calming presence of a service or support dog. These animals provide a unique form of sensory grounding that medicine alone cannot replicate. By helping those in need find their blue partner, we are providing them with a living, breathing anchor that helps them keep their freedom and navigate the world.
The Mission of Duty Danes I try to teach these dogs the best I can from day one. Using ENS training and a full puppy curriculum, I make sure they have a foundation of love and trust. I put so much thought into the names of my dogs because they carry pieces of me and their history with them. For example, my Sassy’s full name is D.D. Boogie Woogie Bayou Bluemoon N’ Hoodoo Voodoo Sass.
I name them based on things I love—like the stones and gems I collect, the blues music that moves me, and the elements. Sassy represents the element of water, while my other dogs represent air and earth. I already have plans for the next dogs to be ice and then fire. Her name also has the Moon for a moonstone and the Bayou and Voodoo to remind me of home back in Florida. I also pull from their heritage; “Moon” is from her dad’s name and “Sass” comes from a grandparent. Most importantly, the capital N’ in her name is a tribute to my dog Wade who passed away; I put that in all my dogs’ names so he is always with us.
Every time a puppy leaves for their new home, a piece of my heart goes with them. I live on through my dogs and their offspring; it is my way of spreading love. That is what I want to be remembered for—helping others heal and have a better life.
A Duty All the Way Around This duty isn’t just to my dogs; it’s a duty to my clients, my community, and my fellow mental health warriors. It is a commitment that goes all the way around. By choosing this name, I am reminding myself and my clients every day that we have a solemn obligation to these animals who give us their lives in return. It is an honor and a commitment to excellence in everything we do. It also means that as a new owner, you have to continue the work I have done with them and not let that foundation fall behind.