b2b tribe: Syl Paugh
Hanging around Hound Heaven
Referred to as the Montessori of doggy daycare, AlphaHound wants you and your dog to succeed. Syl Paugh opened her concierge-style business out of her home in the Plaza Midwood area in 2014 after years of working in other pet-related industries. She and her "AlphaCrew," which includes four-legged employees Pink and blu, offer customized options for pets, from in-home or off-site daycare to vet and grooming visits, transportation services, shopping, referrals, and plenty of hands-on training for both humans and furbabies.
Her clients come mainly from the central and east areas of town, but she'll drive anywhere to help a hound. Large pet boarding centers call her when dogs aren't integrating well. alphaHounds run on the potential of pack mentality.
"Just like people, some dogs aren't comfortable in a large group," she explained. "But if you put them in a small group with individualized attention, they thrive. They learn from each other."
Syl says living in the highly dynamic areas of Plaza Midwood is "mostly rainbows and unicorns," but they have their fair share of crime. She credits neighbors and businesses supporting one another, as well as the presence of patrol cars, to help keep things in check. She's a diehard fan of Four Dogs Pet Supplies in NoDa. A self-proclaimed homebody, she has been known to grab a cupcake (or two) from FuManChu's off Central Ave.
More dog parks in the area would please this pet person. But it's nice to get away too. On days off, she rewards the pups - and herself - with hiking trips around the Asheville area.
"I got lucky," Syl said of the timing and location of AlphaHound. "This area is super diverse. I can be who I am, and it seems to be a great time for small businesses in our area. I would not live anywhere else."
