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OUR PRIMARY GOALS

for ALL our Canine Clients

SAFE

When you have to house a large variety of canine personalities & physical builds, safety becomes your #1 concern. Designed by a former zookeeper, and built by an experienced craftsman, our facility is designed with safety in mind, first and foremost. Climbers, diggers, jumpers, chewers, pee-ers, tiny or giant; we can keep them safe.

HAPPY

Saying "A dog is a dog" is similar to saying 'a kid is a kid'. Yes, they're all short and messy, but when it comes right down to it, they are ALL unique. Each individual has their own quirks and personalities. Each breed has it's own perks and downfalls. By adjusting how we behave, based on your dog's needs, we make it easier to assure that each and every animal that stays with us feels loved, entertained and appreciated.

HEALTHY

We monitor our guests very closely for any signs of illness, ailments, and stress. Liza worked for many years as a veterinary technician, and is fairly good at spotting issues. However, if there's a question, we have a close relationship with both Lincoln City Animal Hospital & Oceanlake Veterinary Clinic, and call on them when a situation is beyond our scope of knowledge.

THE SDHL PACK

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LIZA CARLSON

Owner, Pack Leader

20 Things About Liza:

  • I was born and raised in Portland, and have been visiting the coast my entire life.  I always wanted to live here, and these past 12 years in Lincoln City, really has been a dream come true.

  • One of my earliest memories is of racing the family dog, Pogo, down the front hall.

  • I worked at a dog daycare and self-service dog wash in Portland while I was going to school.  It’s remained one of my all-time favorite jobs. 

  • If Eggs Benedict is on the menu, I’ll order it.

  • I worked as a vet tech for several years in Las Vegas and Portland.

  • Servals are my favorite kind of cat.  Poodle Mixes have surprised me, and have become one of my favorite types of dogs to have visit.

  • Please don’t be offended if I remember your dog’s name, age and history before I remember your name.

  • I have formal training and experience as a zookeeper, working primarily with large cats, but I have taken care of, raised, trained, been close friends with and/or been owned by: domestic cats, horses, lovebirds, chinchillas, dogs (more breeds than I can list here), iguanas, rats, hedgehogs, sugar gliders, raccoons, opossums, macaws, garter snakes, elephants, lions, tigers, servals, bobcats, cougars, clouded leopards, mini-donkeys, a murder of crows, prairie dogs, hamsters, tree frogs, great-horned owls, osprey, preying mantises, red-tailed hawks, leopards, boas, and one lyger. 

  • I’m a movie and music geek, but not the hard-core, snooty kind.  ‘Best in Show’ is my favorite movie about dogs.

  • Animals & Photography are my two passions; my primary motivation behind the lens is documenting human/animal ecology & interaction.

  • I love hearing people’s stories and memories about their pets; please share!

  • I have traveled extensively in Asia, East Africa, The Middle East, North America, & Europe; The Oregon Coast is still my favorite place that I’ve been.

  • I’m fascinated by animal behavior.  That sounds simplistic, but the only other way for me to explain it would be to throw my library full of books about animals, hundreds of hours of classes & writing essays about animals, thousands upon thousands of photos of animals, and hours of conversation at you.  I’ll spare you.  Except… there’s this cool thing that I read recently… kidding!!

  • Not sure if I’ll ever stop missing my old dog Dylan…

  • I spent 2 years teaching forest ecology to 5th graders; my favorite lesson was all about animal adaptations, during which, the kids would build explainable, imaginary animals for real environments. 

  • Australia and Greece are still on the list of places to travel to…

  • I have some insight and experience with several angles of human adoption… If you’d like to know more, just ask  

  • People rarely give animals enough credit for their ingenuity, intelligence & creativity.  I had a cat who figured out, on her own, how to use the toilet.  We can’t even do that…

  • Shawnn & I are currently owned by 8 animals: Gomez, Morticia & Wednesday: three black littermate kitties who were abandoned on our property at 3 weeks of age. Greta is our Teenage-Girl Belgian Tervuren. Sadie is a basset/beagle mix who is essentially a failed foster, and every daycare dog's best friend. Iggy Pup is the cutest Pug/MinPin you'll ever meet, he's my heart dog and shadow and partner in crime ;)  Gary is our youngest; his human family lost their home during the 2020 fire in Otis; he and his large cat family stayed with us for a few months until the majority of kittens were adopted out and the adults could return to their people. 

  • Starting a business with my husband, Shawnn, is the most exciting adventure I’ve ever been on. I couldn’t do this without him, and am so grateful for his support, strength, expertise & diligence.

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SHAWNN KEHR

Owner, Pack Leader, Jack-of-ALL-Trades

20 Things About Shawnn:

  • I grew up in Northern California.

  • I was a chef for fifteen years- good times that I’m ready to leave behind!  My mind and body will appreciate this new career.

  • Dogs always seem to have a way of making me smile, and they’re an awesome excuse to play like a kid!

  • I’m excited to learn new dog training techniques.

  • Louis is my current canine companion, a rescue from the Lincoln County Animal Shelter.  

  • I like French jazz and ‘Star Wars’.  Not at the same time though.

  • I’m inspired by the technology and techniques available for creating an eco-friendly business, and look forward to applying them to our Salty Dog endeavors.

  • I’m looking forward to making modifications to the existing structure that will allow for more room for the daycare dogs and bigger kennels for the boarders. 

  • My favorite vegetable is the carrot.  My favorite candy is the Gummy Bear.

  • I’ve been enjoying researching the most current methods for sound dampening and am looking forward to putting them into action at Salty Dog.

  • My Cheesecakes, BBQ and Clam Chowder drive the crowds wild.

  • I’ve really enjoyed living in Lincoln City: so much water! agates! fishing! kayaking!

  • I lived in Florida for ten years prior to moving to Oregon and I’m still adjusting to the climate.

  • I love old architecture and restoration.

  • I like to travel, and have visited most of the states in the US; I’ve lived in California, Nevada, Florida, Illinois, Washington, and Oregon.

  • I have a dream of catching a 400+ pound Pacific Blue Fin Tuna and eating it.

  • I grew up helping my dad and uncles on construction sites.  I’m already building new walls and doggy playgrounds in my head.

  • I’ve always been impressed by how accurately dogs can read human emotions.  How do they always seem to know when you need their unconditional love?

  • Mila was a Pit puppy that found me during an adoption drive; her green eyes locked onto mine and sucked me in like a tractor beam.  I went to lunch to think it over, and went back to bring her home. 

  • With my best friend and wife, Liza, I look forward to providing your 4-legged friend a great home away from home.

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