Business owner has love for dogs

One of the best things about going to work every day for Lindi Harris is that she can take her dog with her.

Of course, there's no one to tell her not to because she owns Hap-E-Dog Barkery on Eastern Avenue, and the Hap-E-Dog Inn on Nellis Boulevard, along with her partner Yvonne Gomez.

Harris is the first one to tell you she loves her job. She has a short commute, living only minutes from the 10960 S. Eastern Ave. store, and enjoys the company of routine customers.

"I knew I wanted to do something with dogs. We usually remember the dog's name before the people," Harris said.

Even though she wears a smile on her face today, the circumstances that landed her a dream job are not so bright.

While caring for her sick brother in San Francisco, Harris left her yellow labrador, Angel, at the Hap-E-Dog Inn. She had to leave him there often over the two years she helped her brother before he died. During that time Harris said she had the idea of starting a dog day-care with activities and aquatic features.

Perhaps it was fate, but that's when the owner of Hap-E-Dog Inn decided to sell. Harris saw the ad in the paper and called right away.

"I thought it was a sign," Harris said.

Initially, she took a job doing any odd work at the inn, including the messy stuff. Eventually, she learned everything the former owner would teach her about running a dog kennel and grooming facility and she bought the inn in 1998.

Last year, she and Gomez decided to branch out with a dog food and grooming store near their home in Henderson. The inspiration for the store came from Angel, who had been suffering from an ear infection caused by an allergic reaction to processed dog food.

"The vet recommended we try natural foods because many dogs are allergic to soy, wheat and corn, which are common ingredients (in processed food)," Gomez said.

There weren't any places that sold natural pet foods at the time, said Gomez, so she started making her own for Angel.

Many of the recipes sold at the dog bakery today, which include peanut butter bars and puppy pretzels, were originally derived from human recipes. Gomez said she had to be resourceful to come up with ways to leave out ingredients such as salt, sugar and chocolate for some of the treats.

Around the time the dog bakery opened, Gomez recruited her sister to do the baking because she was getting too busy. At first her sister was bringing in fresh treats once a week, now Gomez said, there's a delivery nearly four times a week. The grooming has gone much the same way. Last year Hap-E-Dog Barkery opened with one groomer and now it is up to four.

Harris said she wanted the grooming area to be a positive experience for the dogs. Pet parents can go into the back area with their dogs if they like or wait at one of the tables in the front of the store. They don't use cage dryers and try to keep the animals at ease.

Those interested in learning more about Hap-E-Dog Barkery can call 614-4381 or the Hap-E-Dog Inn at 2225 N. Nellis Blvd., by calling 452-1963.