About

Conscious Paws has been providing top-quality pet care services since 1999--twenty-five years now.   We mainly serve upper Montgomery County, and potentially surrounding areas too with special consideration.  

Wendy's work for premier holistic vet Dr. Monique Maniet, in Bethesda Maryland, began in 1999 after becoming a client there.  Five years prior, Wendy went to massage school and began practicing professionally with people in August of 1995, after she became Nationally Certified in Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork.  Her practice provided relaxation massage, deep-tissue massage and energy-work, with a specialization in Process Oriented Trauma-Informed Recovery Bodywork (guided imagery, educated touch, energy work, dialogue processing), where therapist and client work specifically on dissociative body-memory patterns.  Wendy received her initial training from Potomac Massage Therapy Institute in Washington DC.

Within a few months of being hired by Veterinary Holistic Care, and for the next eight years, Wendy wore many hats (office manager, vet assistant, dental tech, massage therapist, flower essence therapist, nutritional guide, euthanasia and grief support assistant).  There she learned particularly about flower essences, homeopathy and its power to heal, and how acupuncture coupled with massage, specific whole-food nutritional diets and supplementation support, plus pure water brought most animals around from what ailed them.  Wendy worked closely with Dr. Mainet's and Dr. Carol Lundquist's (Chiropractic Vet) animal patients helping them resolve issues related to trauma, drug-induced paralysis, arthritis, sprains and strains, general health malaise, and aches and pains from aging/illness (cats, dogs, horses).  After several years practicing massage at VHC, she became certified in Canine Massage through Integrated Touch Therapy, in Ohio.

Wendy's new skills coupled with her passion for animals led to specializing in individualized care for special needs pets, whether it be providing fluids, walking disabled dogs, working with feral cats, or assisting newly adopted pets, puppies, kittens, and rescues adjusting to their new lives and environments.  From 2008-2012 she worked as Senior Sales Associate for The Big Bad Woof, where customers and fellow staff deemed her as a trusted local resource.  She managed the supplement section and assisted customers with food options/education.  There Conscious Paws grew significantly and became what it is today.  

Wendy, although not a certified trainer, offers embodiment training packages (page coming soon!) for pet owners. She teaches tools and practices to clients as a means to help pet-people become more present, calm and mindful in their walks and daily interactions with their pets, and thus more empowered.  True empowerment represents alignment, balance and well-being.  Animals need our calm presence and empowered hearts to thrive.  Not perfection per se, as we are all human, though surely we can offer boundaries, embodiment, and mindfulness.  

She is a Reiki Master and is educated and certified in numerous other healing arts modalities, and holds an M.A. from Maryland University of Integrative Health in Health Coaching with a specialization in Integrative Nutrition with further certification in Herbal Studies.  Additionally, Wendy has certifications through DM University: Pet Nutrition, Raw Food Specialist, Homeopathy for Dogs and Cats.  Wendy has been offering well-being to people and pets for decades, and is a big fan of Dr. Becker and her Forever Dog book.  Pets deserve health and wellness, just as we do.  Wendy promotes all that she has learned.  

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When you hire Conscious Paws, your pet/pets are cared for by Wendy, as she has worked solo for decades. Occasionally, her sister (a young lawyer) or her long-time friend and colleague (trained in animal acupuncture and Reiki, who also worked for Dr. Maniet) stays with clients pets.  Eventually, as Conscious Paws expands we will hire and train one or two individuals.

Conscious Paws provides meet and greets in your home for a fee, to be applied to your first service, to ensure we are the best fit for your needs. Scheduling is done through a client portal system.  During our meet and greet we review procedures, agreements, liability, and care needs.  

Wendy is in the process (9/2024) of becoming a Certified Professional Pet Sitter though due to her extensive experience and high client regard, she hasn't found it to be truly necessary to date.  She will participate in continuing education and outreach courses to build upon her skills as a professional pet sitter, and has passed a thorough background check--current 2023. 

We are committed to providing clients peace of mind and assurance, and are fully prepared to care for your pets and your home while you are away.