Heidi Johnstone

Owner

Heidi created Boogity in March, 2010.

Heidi has loved and owned dogs since early childhood, but her passion for dogs blossomed during her studies in Psychology at the University of Ottawa. She put herself through school by working with dogs, and quickly saw the positive impact of applying her education to her interactions with dogs. Improving the lives of dogs through exercise, socialization and clear, consistent training had lasting benefits for both the dogs and their owners. Heidi was hooked, and absolutely loves working with dogs and clients to achieve a happy and relaxed lifestyle together!

LISA DUNAND

Manager and Pack Leader for Stittsville/Richmond

Lisa joined Boogity in December, 2014 and is the primary dog walker for the Off-Leash Pack Walks in the Stittsville and Richmond area.

Lisa manages our team of Walkers, putting to use her many years of working with Boogity to assist any way she can in ensuring that our dogs and clients are happy.

Lisa grew up with a love for animals after her family got her first dog at a young age. She knew from then on she would always have animals in her life. Training her dog as a child progressed into wanting to train other animals: Lisa’s been horseback riding for over 14 years, and worked with dogs in professional settings in kennels and pet stores.

In 2013, Lisa shifted her experience and skills from training horses to focus primarily on dog training. She’s discovered a passion for helping owners find peace and balance with their dogs through kind and effective methods.

Meaghan Bennett

Pack Leader for Kanata South

Meaghan joined Boogity in February, 2017 and is the primary dog walker for the Off-Leash Pack Walks in Kanata South.

Meaghan has had a love for animals since a young age, growing up around dogs she has always felt a strong bond with them. She draws on this love, her passion for helping others and her previous experience working in childcare to create a happy and positive impact on every dog’s day working with Boogity.

When Meaghan isn’t walking packs of dogs, she is spending most of her time hiking, kayaking and skiing. Meaghan loves the outdoors just as much as her four legged friends. She believes dogs enjoy exploring just as much as we do and loves to see them have the freedom to do so every day with Boogity.

Jessica Laursen

Pack Leader (currently on Maternity Leave)

Jessica joined Boogity in March, 2018 and is the primary dog walker for the Off-Leash Pack Walks in Stittsville.

Jessica has always had a love for all animals, but especially dogs. She always knew she not only wanted to train and own a dog of her own one day, but to have a career working with them as well.

In a professional setting, Jessica has worked in kennels and a grooming salon since 2015, and therefore has got to experience the joy of meeting many different breeds of dogs, all with their own personality. She takes the time to really get to know each dog, and treats them as if they were her own.

Becky Doucette

Team Leader for Kanata North

Since joining the Boogity team in 2018 I’ve been the primary pack leader for the Kanata North territory. My pack is a mixture of the young and the young at heart; no dog left behind! We have wrestlers, runners, even “just out for a stroll”-ers. I pride myself on finding balance in the pack dynamic and making sure that each dog is engaged and thriving on their outing.

We like to change our route daily to make sure we discover all the new sights and smells, and photo ops are where we excel! You can always find us working our best angles and of course, enjoying snacks along the way.

Exceeding client’s expectations and bringing their dog home happy, tired, and eager to return are my main goals. Working with Boogity allows me to pursue my passion and have FUN doing it!

Bec Kaiser

Pack Leader for Stittsville and Carleton Place

Hey there! My name is Bec and I am the primary off-leash dog walker for Stittsville and Carleton Place. I’ve been passionate about working with dogs since I was a kid, and starting walking the neighbourhood dogs when I was 12.

Prior to moving to Ottawa in May of 2020, I worked for a dog care business in Kingston for 3 years. I pride myself on taking the best care of both human and canine clients. My goal is to make your days easier by making sure your dog has great walks full of exercise and loving companionship.

When I’m not enjoying my days at Barkwood, you can find me at home snuggling with my chug (pug x chihuahua) Sophie, browsing around at a local greenhouse, creating art, or tending to my many houseplants back at home.

Marina Mancini

Administrative Assistant

Marina joined Boogity in April 2019, and is the Administrative Assistant for both Boogity and Barkwood Forest. She handles all of the scheduling, invoicing, and emails for the team.

Marina grew up around dogs but is unfortunately, a cat person. She does enjoy meeting all of your dogs at the park though – she thinks it’s the best
part of the job!

When not working (and not stuck in quarantine), Marina enjoys traveling (and was in fact working remotely for several months from Hawaii!), going to
shows, and annoying her cat Juniper.

Kevin Johnstone

Marketing and Barkwood Forest Manager

Kevin came to Boogity through good, old-fashioned nepotism. As the husband to the owner, Kevin’s been involved in Boogity since the beginning, contributing to the business IT systems, accounting practices and marketing strategies, putting his decade of business and IT knowledge to work whenever it can be of help. Kevin’s passion is working with people and creating services that improve people’s lives.

Kevin started working officially for Boogity in 2016 taking over marketing strategies and new client relationships.

In 2019 Kevin joined Boogity full time to create Barkwood Forest, where members can walk their dog at our private, fenced, 100-acre dog park. He manages all aspects of both the business and the property for Barkwood.