2023 Staff Spotlight: Dina
Name: Dina
Main Location: East and Fitchburg
Q: What Certifications/Education do you have?
A: Graduated from Rockford Career College in June 2022 for Animal Welfare Administration, Knowing Dogs 101 and 201, and Pet First Aid
Q: What are your pronouns?
A: She/Her
Q: What is your preferred name?
A: Dina
Q: When did you start?
A: August 1, 2022
Q: What is your position/title?
A: Daycare Playgroup Leader
Q: What made you apply for this job?
A: I applied at The Dog Den looking to finally pursue a lifelong passion of working with animals and finding a job I enjoy going to every day.
Q: What is your favorite part of daycare?
A: I love building bonds with the dogs and building relationships with them.
Q: What is your favorite part of training?
A: After working with a dog for a while and see them be successful with what we've been training on.
Q: Favorite thing about your team?
A: It's great to work with people who are like family, that share the same passion as you and are always willing to help you.
Q: Favorite thing about the clients?
A: Seeing their bonds and love for their family member
Q: Favorite thing about the dogs?
A: I love how excited they get to see me, even after my 15 min break. I also love how they calm me, it's very therapeutic working with them all day.
Q: Something unique about you
A: Grew up on a farm raising squirrels, racoons, a goat, sheep, pigs, cattle, rabbits, fish, hamsters, cats, and dogs.
Q: Something you don't think I would do/peg me for
A: My crafty/artistic side. I enjoy coloring, diamond dots, cross stitch, scrapbooking, and photography.
Q: Which dog breed are you based on this quiz:
A: French Bulldog
You are a French Bulldog. You don't like to work hard, you're not particularly sociable, and you have a beautiful mind that you don't especially like to use because mental and physical exercise aren't exciting to you. Instead, you use your smarts to get away with not pulling your weight, and your so darn cute that no one minds.
I find it so funny I got this because earlier this week I was thinking a French Bulldog was probably my spirit animal because I'm short and stout, with some sass.
Q: Which breed did you grow up with?
A: I'm not sure what breed my dog was when I grew up. My parents always just said he was a mutt.
Q: Tell us about the pets that you live with now?
A: 2 cats that I rescued as kittens. Baby and Han are siblings and 11 years old now.
Belle- She is an 11-year-old Blue Heeler who I rescued when she was 1. She was my first dog to have as an adult.
Milly and Koda- Milly is a 4 year old Pit Bull and Koda is a 4 year old Collie mix. They are also both rescues who I got when they were 1.
I have a thing for rescues.
Q: Favorite color
A: Pink, Purple, and Blue. Always those 3 together.
Q: If you got stranded on an island & its just you & your best buddy doggo, what other animal would you want with you both & why?
A: A goat. Sounds weird but they have multiple uses I could see being useful for survival, along with an extra companion.
Q: If you were a candle, what scent would you be?
A: Lilacs
Q: If you could have 1 super power, what would it be?
A: It would probably be to teleport. I'm always running behind and my kids keep me running from one thing to another so it would save a lot of travel time and feeling like I need more than one of me to be at all these places. I also hate driving so that would be another perk.
Q: What weird collections do you have?
A: I collect anything and everything unicorn! I have become to be known as the unicorn lady or the lady with the unicorn house since I have a blow up for every holiday for the yard.
