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By Jennifer Ross

In 2009, Shakeema Renee Hutcherson was involved with AmeriCorps, a national program designed to create jobs and pathway opportunities for young people entering the workforce. Placed to work temporarily for two years with Disconnected Youth, she bonded with kids in the court system. Coming from a dysfunctional background herself, she made significant progress towards a better life. She impressed her supervisor with her work. So much that he propositioned his superior to offer her a permanent job. Then, the New York economy hit a recession.  “We don’t have any money. We’re not getting any funds” was their only explanation. In a split second, her future came to a complete halt.

The oldest of seventeen children, Hutcherson was well versed in the art of handling children. Her lessons began at the age of seven, with five siblings. Having an absent father and a drug-addicted mother, Hutcherson worried about how to care and nurture both herself and her younger siblings. Looking up to her with eyes and mouths wide-open, she did what was necessary to survive.  “It was a trying time,” said Hutcherson. “I just basically had to do what I had to do. We always had food because of me. My mom really wasn’t there. She would leave for months so I would have to take care of them.”

With no job and no prospects, Hutcherson’s ex-girlfriend advised her to apply at Dog Wash Doggie Daycare & Boarding in Greenwich Village. There was only one problem. Hutcherson was afraid of dogs. Before she could hesitate, Hutcherson went in for an interview and was required to demonstrate her animal skills. “So I went into the pen and all the dogs migrated to me. Literally, migrated to me! They knew I was here. I thought, ‘okay, this is cool. Let me see what this is about.’ And they just loved me.” From then on, she was hooked on animal love.

From fear of the unknown came kisses galore. Hutcherson naturally bonds with her four-legged clients. Photo: Courtesy of Hutcherson.

Life in the four-legged world jump started Hutcherson’s future to success, once again.  With the combination of training lessons at work, watching episodes of Cesar Milan’s Dog Whisperer at home, and her past skills of raising children, Hutcherson mastered both small and large breeds with ease. Clients opting not to board their beloved pooch, requested Hutcherson to pet sit at their homes. As a result, Hutcherson founded Home Sweet Paws in 2010, offering only pet sitting services as a way to supplement her income. Prices for her services began, and still are, seventy-five dollars per night up to the first five nights, for the first dog. Longer stays or an additional dog meant a discount on price per night.

It only took one year for word-of-mouth to spread in the dog community. Jennifer Lebeau, owner of a brown and white Dachshund mix named Beau, was a client that soon came searching for Hutcherson’s services. “Beau fell in love with her here at the dog park so I felt totally comfortable with her,” Lebeau said regarding her getting to know Hutcherson. “After speaking with some of the people in the park about her, she was the only person I actually even thought of caring for Beau.”

Everyday, Keema brings her clients to George’s Dog Run to run and socialize with neighborhood dogs. Photo: Jennifer Ross

With the great potential gain in the dog business, Hutcherson decided to quit her job to become self-employed in March 2011. She added dog walking and training services to Home Sweet Paws.

Compared to other dog walkers in the area, Home Sweet Paws’ prices are reasonable, charging twenty-five dollars per hour, per dog, for dog-walking service. For those clients needing an hour-long dog walk every weekday, Monday through Friday, she gives a discount of five dollars per hour. This is a savings many clients appreciate considering other local dog walkers can charge as much as sixty five dollars per hour for the same dog walking service.

For basic obedience training, Home Sweet Paws offers a two-week puppy-training package for a flat rate of one thousand dollars. This service comes complete with the puppy temporarily residing with Hutcherson for the duration, and is put on a vigorous 24 hour schedule to include healthy eating, sleeping, playing habits, learn basic commands, individual and dog-pack leash walking and potty training.

Just like any other start up business, there were times when the growing pains of a business stifled her profits. “It was hard. In the beginning, I literally only made $90-100 a week, dog walking,” Hutcherson said. Yet, she continued to move forward, determined to succeed. “It’s about the clientele; what you can do and what you show people. So, my whole thing was, let me get out here, show people I can actually do this. I can handle their dogs and their dogs love me.”

In her line of profession, calmness is key. It is her calmness with dogs, a lesson both Hutcherson and the dogs learned from each other, that has also allowed her to find peace about her past. “Whatever I was going through, I would just come in and the dogs would make you feel like nothing else in the world mattered.”