Bismarck business helping dogs and owners during pandemic

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - Bismarck is a place where small businesses thrive. This has been true even during the pandemic: Bismarck residents tend to look out for each other.

One Bismarck business opened just before COVID hit and has been hitting its stride in recent days.

PAWZ Enrichment Center in Bismarck offers training and day care for dogs.

The Center is owned and operated by a woman who has been a dog trainer for 30 years but decided to start a business less than a year ago.

Jan Joersz thought Bismarck’s dog training community was missing something. So, she did something about it.

“I was driving to Fargo to train one day a week in agility out here like this, and I just went, ‘This is crazy,’” said Joersz.

COVID didn’t hinder this business, it enhanced it. Dogs were one of the biggest pandemic purchases. Now with people returning to work, there is demand for a place to send their furry friends during the day.

“Some dogs come five days a week, some come one time a week. And we really start connecting on that personal level once we start connecting on the training level as well,” said Carley Huber, a PAWZ dog trainer.

Joersz’s employees are grateful to have the opportunity to work at PAWZ.

“It’s been amazing. It’s been kind of a dream come true because I didn’t think that I was gonna find a job like this here in Bismarck, and when I saw that they were hiring I had to apply because it’s been what I’ve been wanting to do for a very long time,” said Mariah Lancaster, a PAWZ dog trainer.

Joersz also talks about some first-time dog owners that simply needed help.

“They were ready to take the dog back. And she called me and wanted to know what to do. We got her in classes, we got her in some of the day training... Now they know what to do to handle him and how to help him to settle in,” said Joersz.

Stories like these remind Joersz nearly every day of how rewarding the work she does is.

PAWZ Enrichment Center is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. If you’re interested in learning more, visit their website at pawzenrich.com.

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