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Life and Work with Kara Godebu

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Kara Godebu.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Kara. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
It is always when you are asked a specific question that your mind draws a blank. “What is my story?” “How did I get here?” To all of a sudden question your own life and consider exactly how you got to this point now. My story? I love dogs!

I have always had a love and passion for animals. My parents both agreed I had been that way since the start. I grew up playing imaginary games with horses and dogs, playing vet and training with my own dogs. I started 4-H at the age of 10 years old with a Bernese Mountain Dog named Maja who was gifted to me from a breeder. She was an amazing dog and would do anything my enthusiastic younger me wanted. We competed in obedience, confirmation and agility. When I was 12 years old, I had a dog sitting business in my neighborhood and had the pleasure of meeting an ex-service dog trainer/handler. She ultimately introduced me to what would be a ten years journey and jumpstart to my career. I was introduced to a dog trainer who had a facility close to where I lived. I started on a volunteer basis and by the age of 13 was on the payroll. I worked Saturdays, holidays, and any extra time. I was learning about handling skills, how to train, behavior, and I was an absorbent sponge. I soaked it all up! I loved working and I loved being around the dogs.

In high school, I would always put that as my long term goal and career plan to own my own dog training business. Dogs are loyal creatures when given the right direction and communication, the bond and relationship you can have is unmatched. Training is the best way to communicate with them and grow the understanding between a dog and their owner. I knew this is what I wanted to do long term but was pushed towards attending college believing this would help me further my career. At 19 years old, I started working full-time. I worked 50-60 hours a week at the facility working/training dogs, cleaning kennels and the property plus continuing to learn while sitting in on private lessons. My passion and knowledge grew greatly and I was so ready to take on more! Do everything! But there was no upward mobility where I was and unfortunately, it was no longer a positive work environment with the relationship with my boss. At this time, I started to realize that even though I loved the work, the dogs, the facility and the clients, there was not going to be a way for me to be successful moving forward with my career.

That’s when I was approached by a new-found friend, she was a small business owner herself that had opened a boarding kennel/daycare. She approached me looking for a dog trainer explaining I could be an independent contractor for her facility. (While I still had my other job and was considering an exit plan) I would need an LLC and business insurance. In September 2017, I created an LLC with the intention of taking pressure off my boss and allowing myself to get out into the world and do more dog training. And then the best thing for my career happened and I was fired October 10th. October 11th, my own business was up and running. The LLC was in place and I all needed was liability insurance which was one phone call away. I started with clients that had stayed loyal to me, met new clients through the facility I was working for and slowly grew from there! At 24 years old, I was living my dream of owning my own business! I had amazing support from the people around me. So, in a short whirlwind of a tale, that is how the 13-year-old dog lover turned into a business owner doing what she loves!

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been an easy road between family struggles and life lessons learned. When I was 17 years old, my home life was shattered as my dad struggled with alcoholism. It was at this age that my mom sat me down to explain “your Dad is an alcoholic.” Up until this point, I genuinely did not know. It was at that moment, my family changed forever. My dad was a good man who had demons many of us will never understand, and with his addictions came a whole lot of rock bottoms. Just when I thought he had found rock bottom… he’d find a new version. I loved and supported him as much as I could, while also recognizing there was not much I could do if he wouldn’t help himself. We were truly friends and had a relationship most of my adult life. He met my boyfriends, we barbequed or went to the movies or for breakfast. I also was his first call for getting out of jail or when his money ran out. When I was 24 years old, six months into owning my business and on my own in Colorado, my dad committed suicide in his Boulder apartment. He would have been 50 years old that year. He had a job, an apartment and it had seemed he was on an upswing. He was not under the influence of anything at the time of his death. It was hard then and is still hard now. I loved him dearly, but I also try not to harbor anger or guilt. He was an adult who decided he did not want to be here anymore. He loved my sister and I very much and it was not something he did to hurt us.

This event was tragic, heartbreaking and life-altering. It was and is a life lesson of continuing forward with my life, keeping my world together, but also reminding myself to take moments to feel the feelings associated with losing my Dad. Powering through emotions can work for a time, but eventually those feelings will come up and I do not want to them to affect me long term in life. My advice to young women is to make sure we look into ourselves for where we can do better and be better. My biggest priority in 2020 is to take time for myself, be better at feeling feelings and work on self-reflection. Being a bulldozer through life will only get you so far till something breaks or malfunctions, or things being pushed aside get piled too high to push out of the way.

Please tell us about DK Canine Training.
DK Canine Training is balanced dog training here in Northern Colorado focusing on improving the lives of dogs and their owners through education and training. We offer private lessons, classes, training hikes, board/train, pack walks and more. We use many different kinds of training methods and believe every dog is an individual. My passion lies in educating people on how to effectively communicate with their dogs to build their relationship and increase everyone’s quality of life. My favorite dogs to work with are smart, young, and pushy dogs who have not had enough structure in their life and when introduced to training thrive. October 2019, I celebrated my two year anniversary in business. We held a client appreciation party at a brewery complete with dogs, games, prizes and a speech. A speech in which I cried because I was overwhelmed with support by a community of educated dog owners who were there supporting what I have created. It is still one of my happiest and proudest moments. This is what sets us apart from other dog training is our commitment to not only the dogs but their owners. I love working with people and this part is as important if not more so than the physical dog training.

Which women have inspired you in your life? Why?
I cannot think of just one person that has inspired me but I am surrounded by women who inspire me every day. My mom is an amazing person who raised me to be strong, caring and helped me throughout my life to propel me toward my passions. My friend, Ashley, who is owning/running her own business at 30 years old making it look easy. My past boss, who was a powerful woman who demanded respect from others and taught me how to work with dogs. My friend, Carol, who just retired and has endless wisdom to offer about life, business, and personal relationships. My sister who has put herself through nursing school while also enduring the loss of our dad. My friend, Anna, who is now my assistant trainer and who offers encouragement and thoughtful ways for us to be the best we can be. My friend Claire, who has donated countless hours to helping me improve my business simply because of her belief in me and what we are doing with DK Canine Training. All of these women make me want to be a better person and do my very best every day. I am more than lucky to be surrounded by such incredible people. I could not be here today without them and am incredibly grateful.

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Image Credit:
Shallyn Michelle Photography

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