Владелец питомника Никки Нордик делится уроками терпения и доверия, которые она черпает из общения с собаками

Nikki Nordick says working with dogs has taught her a lot about people. For Nordick, owner of Airdrie Puppy Pals and a certified professional dog trainer and dog behaviour consultant, the lesson often starts with patience, trust and asking better questions. “I think with working with dogs and people it all comes down to communication and asking really good questions and seeking first to understand,” Nordick said. Nordick said dogs are often trying to navigate expectations in a world built around people. “Dogs are doing their absolute best to do what we would like them to do, and be the best dogs they can be,” she said. With families, she said, the work is also about asking better questions, building bonds and creating trust. The work people do not see Nordick said people do not always see how much thought goes into running a local business. At Airdrie Puppy Pals, she said, even something as simple as a floor can carry hours of planning. “If you walk into our building, you’re going to just see a floor,” Nordick said. But behind that floor were decisions about safety, comfort and customer experience. Nordick said she and Ray spent hours looking at flooring samples, grit types and colours. The floor had to be gritty enough for dogs without hurting their paws, but not so slippery that it would affect the people using the space. For Nordick, that kind of care goes into many decisions local business owners make. “We don’t tend to just make decisions,” she said. “There’s a lot of research and time and thought and heart that goes into every decision that we make to provide that exceptional customer experience for all of our community.” Leaning on others Nordick said she has been fortunate to be surrounded by strong female entrepreneurs. She is a fourth-generation Canadian entrepreneur and grew up around business. “My aunt owned her business, my parents owned their business,” Nordick said. She said Airdrie has a strong community of women entrepreneurs who support one another. “We lean on each other,” she said. “Airdrie has a really strong female entrepreneur community that really supports one another.” Business ownership has also taught her not to face challenges alone. After about a decade in Airdrie, Nordick said she has learned to lean on her team and the people around her instead. She said she cannot do everything herself, and she does not want to. Nordick said she is fortunate to have a strong team, including her manager, Shannon, who she described as an advocate for the business and the community. “As a business owner, you’re going to have lots of challenges, and they’re always going to feel new,” Nordick said. “Lean on your team, lean on your community, and you can do anything.” Business and community Nordick also served with the Airdrie Regional Chamber of Commerce, including as board president during the pandemic and the year after. She said that time showed her the perseverance of Airdrie’s business community. During the pandemic, she said, the chamber worked on a video campaign to advocate for local businesses. She remembers conversations with business owners who were trying to keep going through a difficult time. “It was hard, and we were all trying,” Nordick said. Many of those businesses are thriving today, she said. “Honest to goodness, we stood by each other,” she said. “COVID was hard, and the chamber did so much and tried to do so much, and continues to do so much.” Nordick said entrepreneurship, service and community building are closely connected. As an entrepreneur, she said, a person is working for their community, but also depends on that community. “You really can’t have a successful entrepreneur without community, and you can’t have community without those entrepreneurs giving it their all every single day,” she said. She said Airdrie residents also play a role in supporting the unique local businesses that help shape the city. “As a community member in Airdrie, we want those unique businesses, we want those entrepreneurs,” Nordick said. “So, it’s up to us as a community to support them.” Learning from dogs Nordick said there is a lot people can learn from dogs, especially about trust, patience and communication. For her, one lesson is to slow down. “I think the best thing we can learn from, we call them puppy pals, is to slow down,” Nordick said. She said life can move quickly, and people can become busy being busy. Dogs can offer a reminder to notice the moment. “I really enjoy watching them sniff the grass,” she said. Nordick also spoke about Kaya, one of her Bohemian shepherds, who loves rolling in the grass with her paws in the air. For Nordick, there is something to learn from that, too. “Sometimes life is really serious,” she said. “And I think the best thing we can learn from dogs is to just slow down, appreciate what we have, and go roll in the grass.” Tell me something good Nordick said she starts every training class, team meeting and private training session with the same prompt. “Tell me something good,” she said. “Tell me something positive.” She said there are times when things can feel heavy or out of people’s control. In those moments, Nordick encourages people to focus on one thing that brings them joy. That can also apply to community. “What can you do to show up for our community?” she said. Showing up does not always have to be complicated. It could mean attending a local event. If someone cannot attend, it could mean sharing it on social media. To Nordick, showing up can be simple. “It’s the small things that we all do together that can brighten everyone’s day,” Nordick said. Have a news tip, story idea, photo or video? Send it to [email protected]. You can also follow and message us on Facebook and X at @AIR1061FM. This story is part of Her Voice, a weekly summer feature series highlighting women whose work, leadership and service help shape Airdrie and the surrounding region. Her Voice is presented by SeCan and Kumon.