At Sweet Pea Kennels, loving animals is in our blood. Before Cesar Millan, there was our father, David G. Young, Sr. Our dad loved animals with all of his heart and taught us how rewarding a relationship with an animal could be, including the true value they bring to a family. Our dad served in the US Navy and retired as a Senior Chief Boatswains Mate. He was our hero, and our inspiration behind starting Sweet Pea Kennels. Growing up, we heard all kinds of stories about our dad that showed his true passion and love for animals. While serving in the US Navy, he once kept a pet seal and dog on the same boat. The dog and seal became so close that they could never keep them separated. Dad would set the seal free every morning to go hunt and eat, then raised it back onto the boat in a stokes stretcher when it would bark to be let aboard. Pretty sure it doesn’t get much cuter than that! At parties, if the hosts had a dog, dad basically ignored everyone and spent the entire evening with the dog. Our mom often tells us the story about how our dad taught his dog how to ride a tricycle. The neighborhood kids used to come to the door all the time and ask our mom “Can Dave come out and play?” Dad would line up the kids in a circle, and his dog would ride the tricycle around the circle licking each kid on the face. Can you imagine that? What a show! sweet-pea-kennels-team sweet-pea-kennels-team2 motorcycle-pic Even meal time was a special event for “Dave Young dogs” (as the family saying goes), as he would prepare their dinner every night. Dog food, table scraps, some leftover fat from the fridge, ketchup or barbecue sauce for flavor, and an egg on top to ensure a shiny coat. And don’t forget the warm water, because who wants their dinner cold? One evening, watching our dad prepare the dog’s supper, our cousin said “When I die, I want to come back as a Dave Young dog.” Just watching our dad love, train, spoil, and care for dogs made it obvious that they were loved deeply, and their lives were easy and rewarding. In the mind of a young boy, being reincarnated as a Dave Young dog was probably a better option than going to heaven. This phrase soon became a family mantra that was repeated over the years whenever someone would watch my dad with dogs. Sometimes we thought he got along with dogs better than people. At Sweet Pea Kennels, we board dogs to provide a safe and fun environment while their loving families are traveling, and we truly enjoy what we’re doing!