Our Groomers & Trainers
Laura Myers - Owner
Minnesota winters are brutal with frigid temperatures, drifting snow; studded snow tires, chains… but to Laura’s recollection, no one stopped living. So, to keep her three-year-old self warm while Mom mucked stalls and fed the horses, she set her on Twinklebell’s back. The smell of alfalfa, the sound of the horses grinding their grain and the feel of the warm sunshine spilling through the stall window… this is Laura’s sweetest animal-related memory. There would be many more because her Mom never said, ”No!” So, there were dogs, cats, guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, lizards, fish. You name it, they had it. There was one rule: they had to take care of them meticulously! And they did. Laura spent twenty-five years teaching, but always, animals were integrated into her classroom. The dogs participated in AP psychology, and school plays. She created a pet elective for middle school and worked with Greystone Manor to create a therapy riding program for their special needs students. It took years of preparation to obtain vet tech skills, retail experience, and numerous certifications to realize their dream of creating Whoodles, but they did it, and Laura couldn’t be more grateful to be serving such a gracious community. When she’s not grooming, training, or vacuuming up dog hair, she loves to play the flute, hike with her Wheatens, and cook.
Certifications include: Service Dog Training, Animal Assisted Therapy, Professional, Basic Obedience Training, AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator, and Grooming Professional.
Terry Myers - Owner
If you were to ask Terry what his fondest childhood memory was, he would undoubtedly tell you, raising nine Irish wolfhound puppies! His tender-hearted mom was able to part with and sell only two, so each of the remaining seven grew up in their house with Onie, the favorite, topping a mere two hundred pounds. His mom had wanted dogs that looked fearsome but were in reality, gentle giants to give the illusion of protection for their farm in Centre County. Terry’s Dad was one of the only veterinarians in the county. Perhaps it was a few farm calls in the middle of winter with his dad that lead Terry to pursue an accounting degree and to spend the next twenty-five years in corporate America. While he never really loved the corporate world, Terry utilizes his expert skills as a CPA every day at Whoodles, the culmination of a dream he has shared with Laura for as long as he can remember. Not only does he take meticulous care of the business side of things, he can also step in and give a fabulous bath. As any veterinarian would tell you gentle, effective restraint is an art, and Terry assists with snuggling the tiniest chihuahua as well as the largest Great Dane whenever a groomer needs a little help. When not analyzing the financials and paying bills, Terry loves cooking and reading at least a novel a week!
Natalee Tice - Groomer
Natalee grew up in Hamburg, PA where she still resides with her husband and their dachshund Pluto. She has been grooming since 2012. When Natalee was a kid, she remembers dropping her childhood dog off at the groomer. Seeing them work made her think it was almost like working on an art project. Since she loves dogs and enjoys doing crafty and artsy things, she thought it would be a perfect career path. Natalee enjoys working at Whoodles because it's a calm and pleasant working environment. She’s able to schedule dogs according to their size and needs. At Whoodles, it's quality and care over quantity and that's what's important. She’s been called a "dog whisperer" due to her ability to win over more difficult dogs that other groomers could not. To Natalee, it's all about being as gentle as possible, staying level headed, and not getting upset with the dog. She says “The dog is going to feed off of your energy. So if you're upset with the dog, the dog is likely to get more upset as well. Every dog is different. Building a dogs trust takes time you have to learn what the dog likes and doesn't like, what it can and can't do also takes time.” Natalee likes to spend a minute or two before or after a groom to just be with your dog to help build that trust. At Whoodles, I am able to schedule all the time I need to get to know your dog and build that trust.
John Sielski - Trainer
John and his wife Kelly came to Whoodles about two years ago with their seven-year-old labradoodle-pinch of Irish wolfhound rescue, Scooby. After the two-week honeymoon period, he began to exhibit, and was later diagnosed by a behaviorist as having affective aggression, a type fear-based aggression. They wondered if they had made a mistake, but the thought of returning him to the rescue nearly broke their hearts. So, John, Kelly, and Laura began working with Scooby, who flinched at the slightest erratic movement, and growled from deep within his belly if you touched him in the wrong place. We talked a lot about body language, how to deal with seemingly irrational fear, and the walk. John and Kelly really committed to working with Scooby for the long-haul. There was definitely something special about their commitment and teachable hearts. Apparently, John felt so inspired that he began to contemplate a career change and started looking into schools that offered certification for helping dogs and their owners. So, this past September, 2020 amid all of the coronavirus pandemic, John graduated with honors from the Animal Behavior College. We snapped him up as soon as we could. We think he’s pretty phenomenal in his ability to connect with people and dogs! It’s no surprise that he bears the nickname “Dog!” Some thirty years ago in the middle of baseball practice, Buddy a little Golden Retriever puppy left his owner’s side, locked eyes with John and ran across the field to him, dropped to the ground, and rolled over for belly rub.
Nicole Stump - Groomer
Nicole graduated from Oley Valley High School. She loved school and was heavily involved in the music and art programs. Her love for both animals and art led her to pursue dog grooming as a career. Nicole sees grooming as a unique form of art! What she loves most about grooming are the connections she makes with all the dogs and their people. She always treats each dog as if it were her own, and she strives to make every single one as comfortable and happy as possible and to look his absolute best, like a work of art! While she does not have any dogs of her own, her dream is to own a German Shepherd! She does have a quirky black cat named Milo whom she loves to pieces. When she’s not grooming, she enjoys hiking, drawing, and hunting! She also sings and plays various instruments including the piano and guitar.