Pettiquette: Building Better Human and Dog Manners On Walks with Natalie Gruchow

Happy Paws

Join host Mikkel and her coworker and bestie Natalie Gruchow as they discuss all things 'Petiquette,' which includes Natalie's advocacy for leashing dogs in order to increase physical and emotional safety for other dogs and people. Natalie discusses her top tips for advocating for your dog if you encounter an off leash dog, top safety tips if encountering an off leash dog when out walking your own, and how she personally walked through this journey with her own beloved and reactive dog, Sniff.

Natalie Gruchow Bio:

Natalie’s love for animals began in childhood when her patient parents allowed all sorts of critters in the house, from salamanders to birds. To this day, she rescues earthworms from the pavement and releases the creepy crawlies from the house that belong outside. As an only child her dogs were the equivalent to her siblings, and she is now a forever dog mom.

She is from Fargo, North Dakota and graduated from Minnesota State University Moorhead in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology with minors in business administration and English writing. She fell in love with the veterinary industry when she was hired as the Human Resource Generalist at Animal Health Clinic in 2014. She was soon promoted to Practice Manager and obtained her Certified Veterinary Practice Manager credential. AHC began Fear Free practices in 2017, and she would lead her team to become the first Fear Free Certified Practice in the Dakotas in 2019. Since then, she has been on the Fear Free Speaker’s Bureau with Elite certification and joined the Fear Free team full time in the fall of 2023.

Natalie founded a nonprofit, Petiquette, which focuses on raising awareness about leash etiquette, and is adding Pet Loss Grief Support services. Her bearded dragon, Piney, is an education ambassador to demonstrate that pets don’t need to be warm and fuzzy to need love.

When she isn’t working, she enjoys going on traveling adventures with her husband, Tim. Snorkeling with sharks, zip lining, charter fishing, and front row concerts are favorites. She also enjoys hiking and camping with their Champagne Lab, Bubbles, and Black Lab, Sally. Fun fact: Bubbles is Sally's biological grandpup.