Scout
Scout is an American Foxhound who met Pam and was ready to run. After seeing the “READY TO RUN” on his kennel door. Pam knew it was destiny and they had to be together. If you ever want to befriend Scout, just have a NY Bagel in hand. Just show it to him- ask him to sit, and throw him a bagel instead of a bone. While on walks and runs, if he smells a bagel across the street, Watch out! He will make a “b-line” straight to that bagel- thankfully, I am always on guard for traffic and more. Oh yeah, if you’re anywhere on Long Island and you hear a howl it’s probably Scout speaking up!
Liberty
Liberty is an American Foxhound who met Pam and Scout. She immediately had eyes for Scout. Scout was the only one who could bring Liberty out of her shell. And out of the corner of the kennel where she hid while in the shelter. It was a love that lasted all these years. Liberty is the love of the pack and will kiss them all and make them hide!
Freedom
Freedom is the youngest pack member. She came to the pack via PetSmart Charities. After making the long trip to meet Pam with lots of other dogs, only two got out of their crates during the trip and you guessed it she was one of the two. Freedom has lots of energy and propels the laziest days so we all get up and moving. Scout and Liberty adopted freedom as their pup. And they live together in peace and harmony today. Freedom rounded out the All-American Dog Pack with Scout, Liberty, herself and of course Pam.
Pam AKA the All-American Dog Runner Girl
Pam is the human pack member who studied and first got her BFA in Photographics from NYIT. After becoming a professional photographer (portrait, commercial, pet/ animal, art, and photojournalism). Her journey continued when she went out for her MA in Communication Arts. With an emphasis on Computer Graphics and electronic journalism. She did several semesters as an extern at the recently defunct “LI NEWS TONIGHT” with Ken Eckhardt and Carol Pack.
A BFA wasn’t enough so her dream of a Master’s degree was soon achieved.
Once graduating with her MA. She continued her journey in the photography world. Now including electronic journalism of course. But not before enlisting in the US Army where she served as a Military Intelligence Analyst with a Top Secret/SCI access clearance. Once finishing her service in the Army she came home to continue her dream of being a world-class photographer. Much like her hero Margaret Bourke-White. After working at the Guide Dog Foundation, with hundreds of dogs. She knew she wanted to train dogs so she learned and became a certified Dog Obedience Trainer.
Pam also worked all over and gained experience in many places.
Pam started working in high school during the summer at the Northport VA, she started in Medical Media one summer and then went over to Radiology where they had a spot the next year. Before working at the VA she also volunteered in several places.
During summers while she was in college after working hard volunteering for those running for spots in local government, she was able to procure a position working at the local parks dept which she loved and did for 4 summers. She worked customer service, handled 100 if not 1000s of dollars on a daily basis, and even worked the grounds keeping the park in working order.
Once graduating from college she went back for the last summer at the parks department. Immediately following the end of the summer she gained employment and went to work as a school photographer for Empire Studios. This was a seasonal position and the studio only had so much work for several photographers so it was the first to be hired years ago stuck around while everyone else was let go. What to do now?
Since Pam always wanted to extend her education and get her Master’s degree, she looked into it and the opportunity arose. She got 3/4 of the way through and one day driving down the road saw the American Flag and pulled over into the parking lot and into the Army recruiter’s office. Not having any debts, student loans, and everything going her way she had no reason not to love America so she wanted to give back and serve her country. Earning the respect the veterans at the VA earned. So a week later ironically on her birthday, she signed on the dotted line. Thinking it was a birthday gift for herself to do something worthwhile.
When she got out of the Army she came home and finished the two classes she had to in order to get her master’s.
Pam’s love of running led her to find the perfect (PAW fect, pun intended) workout partner over the years!
Knowing of her love of running and love of dogs of which she had three. Pam learned that the greatest workout partner was her dog or dogs. So she knew promoting this idea was essential to the health of others. Now this was physical, mental, and emotional- as studies prove this over and over. So she wanted to find a way to add her love of running into the mix. Several years later when her father, ended up with diabetes and kidney failure then in the hospital. Complicated by having a triple bypass she wanted to learn how to help him to live longer and healthier. Knowing she was Vegan and a runner already she knew she was on the right path. But how could she get Dad to let her guide him?
Enter the Institute of Integrative Nutrition!
She entered the World’s Largest Nutrition School, the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. Here she earned her certification as an IIN CERTIFIED HOLISTIC HEALTH COACH. From that point on she knew combining all her education, skills, talents, creativity, and more was something she wanted to do so she started her blogging and found she could earn a living at doing so so we are today. In 2014, she published her first book still on Amazon “Get Your Leash On!” and continues to create more to help guide others to better health alongside their dog.
Oh yeah, Pam also likes to paint. You can see one of her paintings behind her below! I call it “Self Portrait” because it shows what I love so much or some of it!
