I will start with Carolyn Shedd. She is the gal who greets you so pleasantly in the morning ... rain, snow or shine ... she is always happy to see our friends arrive and catch up with the owners. She has been with us since the beginning, and first started coming by years earlier with her daughter who rode our ponies. She has since become a great friend and trusted coworker. I love catching her singing to and baby-talking with the dogs in the morning. (your secret is out!).
Carolyn has two of her own dogs, who happen to be golden retrievers. It's not a prerequisite to getting a job here, but it doesn't hurt. She also has another love when she is not pampering the pets. She is very talented at making pottery. We will have some of her items available for viewing in the kennel or you can visit her website at http://www.pottersofpottersplace.com/Home.html.
Next is our Walpole Agricultural High School graduate Josh Peters. He took to grooming in High School and was a Junior Champion in 2007. He has been working in a kennel environment and grooming dogs for more than 5 years. He is a natural when it comes to handling and working with dogs. They trust him completely ... with his gentle touch. Josh is now attending Johnson and Wales for equine management and is dedicated to learning as much as possible when it comes to working with dogs and horses. He also has several animals of his own. He owns 1 horse, 1 dog, blah blah blah. His dog also happens to be one of my golden retrievers names Bug. He is one handsome devil if I may say so myself!
Our afternoons are staffed by the girl next door, Hannah Oxley. She is presently attending Walpole High School and works afternoons delivering the dogs to their owners. She also has a dog of her own named Copper. She is seen hanging around the kennel in the afternoon waiting for her kid to come home. Yes, you guessed it Copper is a golden retriever as well!
Our newest member of the staff is Kristy Cook. She has been coming to the farm since she was 9-years-old. She has lots of spirit and keeps things alive at the farm. Adventures with Pauline and Kristy will be our next chapter! She is a huge animal lover and it does not matter what type. She has been spotted running across the back lawn to go catch a snake or two! She owns a virtual menagerie ... including 4 dogs, several cats,an iguana named Floyd, and a lizard named Spaghetti. She teaches horse back riding lessons at Shadowfax in Millis and spends many hours of hard work there cleaning stables and exercising horses. She is actively competing in the horse world and hopes to do working hunters next year. Her accomplishments in horse back riding include IEA 2007 National Finals Varsity Champion. She was also competing in junior medals until she recently gained her amateur status. Kristy has also competed in various dressage competitions, two day events, and hunter paces.
That brings us to my husband, Paul and me, Pauline. As you know I have my share of animals. There are 6 dogs and 7 horses who call Golden Ridge Farm their home. I have been an animal lover for as long as I can remember. I myself have run across the back yard to catch snakes and frogs as a kid! I have been training dogs and horses now for 15 years. I have successfully competed dogs in obedience and agility. I hope to enter into the world of field training and tracking with my new golden retriever Gordy who was imported from Europe. I have started working with him in obedience and he is amazingly quick to learn. We have great hopes for him in the coming months. He is the new father of a gorgeous litter born in November of this year.
Golden Ridge Farm • 323 High Street, Walpole, MA 02081
Pauline Hoegler, Owner/Operator ~ Registered Nurse and Certified Pet Dog Trainer
508-505-5282
