Lizz Doptis' business, Pawsitive Influences, is indeed a happy place. Surrounded by a mural of rolling green hills with white puffy clouds floating by in a blue, blue sky and a great big smiling yellow sun shining down, the idyllic scene is created for Lizz Doptis' “kids.” Actually, they are dogs (but Lizz calls them her kids). Behind a white picket fence are some very happy faces. With tails wagging, jaws flapping, tongues lolling and eyes sparkling, the dogs stand up against the fence to greet visitors to Lizz Doptis' dog day-care center, Pawsitive Influences. House mother Lizz is fully in command, making sure all of her kids mind their manners. Each one is very well behaved, and each takes a turn saying hello.

    “That's Seven,” says Lizz, introducing a beautiful bulldog. “Kona is the boxer. And that's Petey, he's a pit-bull mix. And there are Grace and Norman...” Lizz introduces each of her “kids,” and then the dogs get back to doing what they came here to do – play. This place has it all: a comfy couch, some big fluffy pillows, lots of toys – and in the back, a Little Tykes play station. It is hard to tell who is happier, Lizz or the dogs.
Lizz was not always this content. Just over five years ago, she finished her 12th year working for a local bank. It was not her dream job.

   “I couldn't have a dog where I lived, so to get my 'dog fix' I started volunteering at the Cuyahoga County Kennel. It was a great place with great people and great dogs. It was hard work and sometimes sad work, but I learned a lot and loved every hour there. I have never worked so hard for nothing other than a sense of accomplishment and wallowing in 'warm fuzzies.' It was wonderful.”

   Lizz wished she could have done what she did at the kennel and gotten paid for it. No apparent opportunities in sight, she remained at her bank job, living for her weekends at the kennel. Her dedication to the dogs led her to buy a training book. “It occurred to me that if I could just get some of these unruly but otherwise fabulous dogs to just walk on a leash nicely, they would have a much better chance of finding a home. To my surprise, it started working!” Lizz found that she had a special talent in training and communicating with the dogs and this further fueled her dream to find a way to make a living taking care of them.

   Shortly after successfully imple-menting her training ideas at the kennel, the bank asked Lizz to relocate to Dayton. Instead, she decided to take a separation package and leave the bank's employ.

   “I started thinking that I could open a boarding kennel or work at one – something, anything to do with dogs – when I accidentally ran across 'dog day-care' online while researching kennel information. I read up on it and it was like the universe was screaming at me, 'Lizz, do this!'” After considerable research, she cashed in her pension, studied every method of training she could find and jumped in head first. “It was scary, sitting around waiting for folks to start showing up, not knowing if my new business would really work. But then, little by little, I took on a couple of clients here, a couple there, and the business has snowballed ever since.” Lizz has never looked back.

   At Pawsitive Influences, Lizz can take up to 30 dogs, and many days the center is at full capacity. Most of Lizz's clients have 9-to-5 type jobs, and they dislike the idea of their pets staying home alone all day. Pawsitive Influences is good for both dogs and owners. The dogs are kept very active and happy while there, so that when it is time to go home, they just want to chill out, much like their owners do after a long day at work. In addition, Lizz does more than just offer 'day care.' She is personally involved with each dog and uses her training skills to help the animals improve their behavior. Lizz is so simpatico with these animals that her clients refer to her as the “dog whisperer” (or D.W. for short).

   As busy as she is with Pawsitive Influences, Lizz still finds time to volunteer with Love-A-Stray, a non-profit network that rescues and finds homes for animals. Lizz does all of their greyhound rescuing, which involves driving to other states to pick up greyhounds that have finished their stints as racing dogs. She even occasionally takes the dogs in herself until a good home is found. Her three greyhound dogs love the fact that Lizz has a dog day-care because they always have a play date with other dog friends.
Lizz sums up her experience of the last five years by saying, “There have been good days and not-so-good ones. Quiet days, and days that seemed to be 11 hours of sheer insanity, but I would never in a million years give it up. I am the boss, I work in a t-shirt and flip-flops, talk to dogs all day long and feel like I've finally found what I was meant to do. I love my job!”

Pawsitive Influences is located at 13308 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood. It can be reached by calling (216) 227-1238. Visit online at www.PawsitiveInfluence.com.

Laura E. Varcho is a jazz musician and freelance writer. She can be reached at lauraevarcho@yahoo.com.

Photos by Bob Perkoski, www.Perkoski.com.