Dog lovers James and Sherry Gemmell have lived in Quesnel most of their lives and love their hometown. They were looking for a business opportunity that would incorporate their passion for pooches with their desire to provide a needed service in their community. When the property on which they now live and operate their business was up for sale, they knew that this was the opportunity they had always dreamed of. The rural location in a beautiful country setting already had dog kennels and the Gemmells felt it was the ideal place to see their dream turn into reality. As an elite-level athlete, James has always strived for nothing short of the best in performance, and it was important to him that he and Sherry apply that same philosophy to their business. “I also wanted to provide a service at the level I would expect for my own dogs,” says James. One of the perks of small town business ownership, notes James, is the power of word-of-mouth advertising. People in small towns like Quesnel are apt to share information, especially when a business owner provides exceptional service. Plus, adds James, people in Quesnel have a mindset of dedication to supporting their local, independent business owners, and it makes a big difference.

Although the Gemmells have lived in Quesnel for some three decades, James says he’s still meeting new people all the time. That is easy to do here, where amicability is the norm and even strangers are apt to stop you on the street to chat or at least give you a friendly wave and a “hello” when they pass by. People here are genuinely interested in each other’s lives and well-being, and James and Sherry often get stopped and asked how they’re doing and how their business is going. James, who has lived in cities in the past, says “living in a small town is far more satisfying to me than living in a city!”

Much of James and Sherry’s lives revolve around either dogs or sports and recreation. When they aren’t busy entertaining their canine guests, they’re usually spending time playing with their own dogs, who sometimes accompany them on their other adventures, like camping and hiking. James is also an avid sledge hockey player who has represented Canada on an international level for sledge hockey for many years.