07/30/2025
Hi!
Susan, the founder of Paws & Poses here!
As we get closer to our opening weekend on August 16th & 17th, I want to take a moment to address some recent comments that have been made regarding my rescue partnerships.
Paws & Poses has been built with a clear mission from the start — to bring joy to the community while prioritizing puppy well-being, ethical partnerships, responsible pet ownership, and early socialization with the goal of reducing future behavior-related surrenders. For months (even before “launching” publicly), I’ve been building relationships behind the scenes with trusted local rescues and reputable, responsible breeders. All are fully informed, mutually committed, and aligned with the standards I’ve set for safety, transparency, and care. While I have my own goals and timelines, I also have to respect the timelines of those in my network as well.
With 8–12-week-old pups clearly being the focus of our core mission of early socialization, the behind-the-scenes timing is both intentional and unpredictable. With that being said, announcements will naturally come as logistics unfold leading up to our opening weekend. Anything can happen at any time with any group of puppies (whether they’re from a rescue or a breed-specific litter) that could affect whether they’re able to attend or not. With the puppies’ best interest in mind, I will never promise a specific litter or promote a particular partnership before it’s been finalized and cleared to be announced by all parties involved.
Over the last few days, I’ve received numerous back-to-back comments, mentions, tags, messages, and reviews across multiple posts and platforms from a single individual — without even being given time to respond to one before more accusations followed.
That kind of behavior is not about curiosity, collaboration, or conversation. It’s about creating chaos and attempting to discredit something I’ve poured my heart into over the last several months. While I think we all have the natural urge to defend ourselves and the things we care most deeply about — I know who I am, where my heart is, and what my intentions are. As do those who already know me personally. And I’m confident those who don’t know me personally yet will see the same as they get to know me through this new venture. So I don’t feel the need to defend my character. BUT — I’ve worked too hard and care too deeply about doing this the right way, for both the pups and the community, to be distracted by nonsensical noise. So I will address this publicly this one time — and one time only. I will NOT tolerate, work with, or engage in bullying, misinformation, personal attacks, or performative outrage disguised as advocacy.
One concern raised in those rapid-fire comments was about offering tickets before every detail is publicly announced. Like any well-planned event, tickets were made available in advance so I can responsibly prepare and plan for attendance, staffing, and logistics to be able to provide the best experience for all involved. All final details absolutely will be shared before the event once everything is finalized.
I’m always open to respectful questions and dialogue about how Paws & Poses works behind the scenes, especially because doing things ethically and transparently is so important to me in both my personal and professional life. But I will not be rushed into releasing incomplete information or pressured into proving my legitimacy to those committed to misunderstanding.
These classes — and this whole experience — have been built with care, intention, and integrity. Puppies will never be used for sales. Rescues will always be supported financially. And every partnership (rescue or breeder) is chosen with ethics, transparency, and the well-being of the puppies at the forefront.
I truly appreciate everyone who has already purchased tickets, as well as those who have reached out — and continue to reach out — with encouragement, support, and genuine excitement. 🤍
The puppies that will be in attendance for our first weekend of snuggles and socialization — along with which rescue(s) will be receiving the first round of donations — will be shared very soon!
It’s been a long process behind the scenes, but everything is coming together like I had no doubt it would, and I seriously can’t wait to see y’all in class for all the puppy snuggles on August 16th & 17th!
