| Linda Livingston Wiedewitsch is a Detroit Lakes native and has been training dogs for 26 years. She was involved with the first K9 units in Becker County and had been an instructor for the 4H Dog project for many years. Linda and her family have also been involved with raising 10 Leader Dogs puppies for the organization Leader Dogs for the Blind (see their website on the Links Page). All of her dogs have gone on to be eyes for a blind person except the special Copper, who was pulled for the Leader Dogs’ breeding program. Linda and her family own an often changing number of dogs and cats, and also own and operate Wiedewitsch Arena, a boarding facility for horses. Linda is currently working on titles with Amos, a yellow lab who has attained his CD obedience title, his Rally Advanced and two legs towards his Rally Excellent, and will be giving the Working Certificate (a hunting title) a try this summer.
 Mary R. Holsen is also a Detroit Lakes native and has been actively training dogs for 8 years. With a varied background in everything from sled dogs, agility, conformation, and a good dose of medical background from working at the Detroit Lakes Animal Hospital for 6 years, Mary enjoys all aspects of working with dogs. Mary recently finished a course in animal behavior and training from Animal Behavior College, completed her Delta Therapy Evaluator course for therapy pets, attained her Canine Good Citizen Evaluator license, and is showing dogs in the AKC rings in obedience and conformation. Mary’s pets include Annie, an adopted golden retriever, who is a Delta Therapy dog, Mandy, a tricolor Bull Terrier working on her conformation championship, Aubrey, a yellow lab bred by Mary and Linda working on obedience and hunting work, and Larry, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, also known as Larry the Lounge Lizard, who is working on a rally novice title and is a Registered Delta Therapy Dog . There may be a few others around from time to time, too!
In 2003, Linda was contemplating ideas for her upcoming retirement from the Detroit Lakes Police Department. Mary had joined her as part of the 4H Dog Project Leaders as an agility instructor. As they were having a discussion one night about the future, Mary mentioned that in her senior year in high school, she had written a business plan for a building that included many aspects of dog care; training, boarding, grooming, and doggy daycare. At the same time, both Wiedewitsch and Holsen were doing as much training and boarding personally as they could at home. The local impound facility no longer wanted to house strays. The wheels began to turn…..
Lucky Dog has grown from our thoughts and ideas, hopes and dreams. We are a new business, but we have high hopes for the future. We have put a lot of effort and time into educating ourselves about every aspect of our project that we felt would help make this business an asset to the community and a service to dogs and cats.
We want to thank everyone who has supported us and invite you to share in the fun! |
