Hi there! I’m A.J., the person (plus lots of dogs) behind The Sniff. Thank you for stopping by this little corner of the Internet! Here you will find all things dog. From dog product reviews, to dog-related business features, to suggestions on how to better communicate with your dog, to dog rescue, adoption and fostering advice, I hope The Sniff will be a helpful resource for you and your relationship with your dog. If you’re a dog person, or if you’re looking to become more of one, then you’ve come to the right place!
The Inspiration
In 2011, my spouse and I began searching for our first dog. We were overwhelmed with navigating the world of dog rescue and all of its bewildering procedures and expectations, not to mention the number of adorable, adoptable faces that inundated us online. We had no idea how to find the right dog for us, or how to turn down the ones that weren’t. (Since then, I’ve learned that many other adopters feel the same way!)
On March 3, 2011 we walked out of an overcrowded municipal shelter with an emaciated, terrified, sick young mutt named “Snuggles.” Snuggles was quickly renamed Beau, and so began the very steep learning curve of integrating this unsocialized, confused dog into our home and daily life. Seeing as I was a broke student at the time, most of what we learned was from a lot of trial and error. In early 2012, I co-founded a pack walking group with two new friends who shared my desire of wanting to create a structured, safe place to exercise our dogs in the crowded city. I learned so much through this community, and only wish that there had been a resource available to me back then that could have helped us set our home up for success more seamlessly, and without having to experience some of the frustrating (and often expensive!) mistakes we made. I am so grateful to Beau for being my most patient, forgiving teacher, and for inspiring me to launch The Sniff.
Rescue Life
Since July 2013, my family (which, in addition to Beau, includes my super patient husband, and our more recently adopted therapy dog extraordinaire, Mama Julep) has been fostering homeless dogs in our small home. These dogs have ranged from easy-going puppies to medical heartbreakers to behavioral nightmares, and everything in between. They have lived with us between 4 days and 11 months, and sometimes that time flies by but other times it drags on. Each of the dogs I have encountered in my rescue life has challenged me to learn and try new things, and each of them has turned me into a better dog person.
Since 2016, following a major career change from a divorce attorney, I have worked in Government Affairs for two different animal advocacy organizations. I spend my days drafting and reviewing laws that impact animals, and traveling around the country lobbying legislators and policymakers to care more about nonhuman animals. My position is remote, so when I’m not traveling I work from my home office with our pets, including an ever-changing foster dog.
If you would like to follow our personal foster and rescue adventures (with the occasional plant-based recipe or travel photo thrown in), you can find me on Instagram as @ourpitstop.
What You’ll Find Here
Over the years, thanks to word of mouth, the power of social media, and tech-driven accessibility, I have received lots of E-Mails that usually read something along the lines of, “hey I adopted a dog and your friend told me that you bring feral dogs into your house all of the time. Can you help me figure out __________?” Or, “hey I’m thinking of adopting a dog and your friend told me that you hang out with lots of homeless dogs. Can you help me figure out________?” I fondly refer to these emails as “love letters to a crazy dog lady.” One of my favorite past times is helping set new dog parents up for success, and helping them navigate the overwhelming world of dog. I also love opening up more experienced dog parents’ eyes to a new idea that significantly reduces their stress or improves their life with their dog. The Sniff aims to create a place for dog people to learn, explore, and discover. Thanks for being a part of it!