From our family to yours

Lakewood Ranch Doodles

 

By Kerry Johnston  |  Photography by Kenesha Lewis

When you’ve got more than 15 years experience in a business, you’ve probably got a lot of wisdom to pass along. What better way to do it than to have a family business? Lin is the Director and CEO at Lakewood Ranch Doodles, and she has a passion for breeding  Labradoodles and Goldendoodles. But she’s got plenty of roles to play, and luckily, plenty of family to delegate them to: three daughters and a son who are just as passionate about dogs. 

Vanessa is the kennel manager & tech, an educational specialist and trainer, and liaison with their guardianship program. 

Sydney is a kennel tech and also an educational specialist. She is also Lakewood Holistics producer, and Lakewood pet boutique manager.  

Raegyn does social media marketing, brand management and sales, but she’s also a kennel tech and guardianship liaison. 

And son Gryphon is in charge of ranch maintenance and supply purchasing. He is also a kennel associate.  

Partner Sean is in charge of finances and also works on sales. 

Sydney, Gryphon, Raegyn, Vanessa

The term ranch, though, may be a little confusing. A farm has crops; a ranch has animals.  Lakewood Ranch is an expanding and developing breeding facility on a 96 acre property, with 75 acres of forest walking trails for leashed walking, 20 acres of fenced meadows and fields for off-leash running and playing, even running with atvs, and ponds for swimming. And it’s not just for dog breeding. 

There’s the Red Star Dog Hotel, where your pet can stay for daytime visits, or overnight while you’re away on vacation, and with all the above amenities, it’s a little bit of safe haven. Residents are also kept safe from things like toxic cleaning chemicals, and fed healthy, natural treats.

There’s even a dog grooming spa on site, to keep customers’ pets neat, clean and looking good.  

Gryphon

The facility is also the site of Lakewood Pet Boutique which offers treats, toys and tools for your canine companion, and includes a line of holistic products produced at the ranch under the brand “Lakewood Holistics”.   The boutique offers upscale harnesses, collars, leashes, dog beds, probiotics for the diet, pest spray, shampoo, training aids, dog cologne and ear cleaners to mention just a few. 

Vanessa

Raegyn

Some of those products end up in Lakewood’s North Pawz JOY BOX, a monthly subscription box for dogs, to give and receive. Both the boutique and the subscription joy box focus on items that are eco friendly, or North American made, or made of natural sustainable materials, it offers things like treats, toys, training products, tools and dog toiletries. 

Sean

They even put out their own cookbook, The Joy of Cooking For Dogs, with instructions for dog treats, natural remedies, and holistic recipes, made with no chemicals or preservatives, thanks to Sydney’s constant research.  

Sydney

Now there’s a whole new generation of grandkids hitting the Ranch, and you can guarantee they’ll be spending just as much time cuddling the puppies as learning the ropes as they, too, grow into the family business.