Doug Keeling
Meet Doug the Dog Guy!
It was August 2013, I had just been let go from my retail job, I hated my college classes, and I just wanted to have one more day with my childhood dog, Skip. My need to be around animals, and my desire to be self employed led me to make flyers for a pet sitting and dog walking service. I didn’t know anything about starting or growing a business, but I was determined to learn, so I hit the pavement and my roster was full within just a few months, and I made my first hire eleven months in.
Fast forward nine years, and Bad to the Bone Pet Care is a multi-award winning team of pet professionals servicing Northeast and Central Florida. Our mission is to uplift and inspire our community through our work with pets and their families, and we bring our mission to life every day not only by offering dog walking and pet sitting as a team of highly trained and vetted employees, but by partnering with other businesses and nonprofits in our area.
My business was voted Best Pet Sitting Service in Northeast Florida in 2016 and 2017, voted Best Jacksonville Dog Walking Company 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and I was chosen as the 2023 Pet Sitter of the Year by Pet Sitter’s International! I often say that all of this has been a dream come true for a dream that I didn’t know I had. I have made every mistake you can think of over the years, and building Bad to the Bone has taught me more about life and business than I ever could have imagined.
I have always believed in the power of collaboration over competition, so I founded the Northeast Florida Pet Professionals Network in 2019, and I became Co-Founder and Vice President of the Florida Pet Services Association (501C3) in 2022. I am a longtime member of Pet Sitter’s International, and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters. I have also been writing articles for Pet Sitter’s World Magazine since 2021.
I started posting YouTube videos about my experience as a pet sitter, dog walker, and pet business owner during the pandemic. I had no idea if anyone would be interested in my story, but the support I have gotten on these YouTube videos has been incredible, and has led me to offering coaching and consulting services to pet sitting and dog walking businesses all over the country. The opportunity to help other businesses succeed has given me a whole new purpose and meaning, and I could not be more thankful.
Outside of my experience in the pet industry, I am also a proud alumnus of the University of North Florida, where I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, and I worked for several years as an Investor and Marketing / Technology Advisor for the largest antique and estate sale company in Northeast Florida. I am the proud dad of a Golden Retriever named Turkey, a Chihuahua named King, and two cats, Allen and Athena. In my free time, you can find me on a hiking trail, standing in line at the airport, or in a yoga class.
I am passionate about raising the bar for the entire pet sitting and dog walking industry, and I can’t wait to help you build the business of your dreams!
