Pawsentials

Where Riley's journey started...

One of my personality quirks is always looking for new adventures. I think I’m the type of person to drop everything, throw on a wrinkled coat, and run after goals and aspirations. If you asked me how I started this business, I simply wouldn’t know where to start.

I grew up on a small acreage with two barn cats and a husky shepherd mix - each animal more rescued than the previous. I really enjoyed being a part of a larger family. Where relationships were earned based on respect and building bonds with one another. The love for animals was not only for building memories - it was for understanding what motivates, drives, and encourages animals to interact with us the way they do.

Riley at age 3 in the Pacific Northwest.

I have to accredit most of my motivations to one single personality trait: learning with understanding. My motivation is to learn what drives an individual to act or exhibit behaviours in certain ways. At the first moment I could, I enrolled to study and research animal behaviour at the University of Victoria. I wanted to make a difference by improving community standards of pet care with research and science. After completing my studies with a B.Sc. degree in Combined Biology and Psychology, I took a much needed post-graduation vacation to scuba dive in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. It was not a dog-related adventure, but it did help me discover the importance of scientific education and raising awareness about an entire ecosystem. I then fostered this idea in relation to our fundamental system for approaching certain dog behaviours, such as reactivity, aggression, and predation. My experiences have molded me to better the community by being a leader in research, listening, and teaching.

Riley scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, early 2020.

Riley Bowen with Pawsentials Pet Services

Riley with Stella, one of his very first clients.

I took what I learned over four years and applied it to create the business that betters our neighbourhood. A business plan to allow flexible support to pet owners who needed a few hours of personal time - something pup parents can all agree time is what they need most. I basically just wanted to give good dogs even better walks!

I spent hours spinning in a desk chair coming up with the right business plan, purchasing flyers at the local print store, and knocking on neighbourhood doors. As time progressed and our pack grew, I hired my first employee who was also my longest childhood friend. It was the hardest decision to leave the responsibility of a trusted bond with the pups to a new friendly face; however, I knew that great things would come with someone who was equally passionate about providing the best pet care in our city.