Creating Community at Independent Local Pet Stores with Amanda Wilbourne
In this episode of Your Natural Dog with Angela Ardolino, we’re joined by Amanda Wilbourne, founder of The Nautical Dog, Williamsburg’s only independently owned and operated pet market. Amanda shares her journey of opening The Nautical Dog in 2006 and its evolution into a trusted local pet store known for hand-picked, high-quality products. Angela and Amanda discuss the importance of supporting local independent pet stores, vetting products thoroughly, and educating pet parents on nutrition and wellness. They explore issues within the pet food industry, including recalls and the dominance of big corporations. Additionally, Amanda highlights The Nautical Dog’s community involvement, including their partnership with the humane society in their Cat Cove.
Episode Recap:
- Importance of local independent pet stores
- Vetting products for The Nautical Dog
- Doing the research and educating pet parents
- The pet food industry & pet food recalls
- Big pet corporations owning everything from pet food to veterinary clinics
- Schwartzy’s Cat Cove & partnering with the humane society
- The Nautical Dog winning awards in the community
- How The Nautical Dog started
- Seeing the impact on pets & their families
- The More You Know – Pet Wellness Summit
- There’s always more to learn when it comes to our pets
- The importance of finding the right vet for you and your pet
Episode Resources:
- The Nautical Dog and Schwartzy’s Cat Cove
- The More You Know – Pet Wellness Summit
- Follow The Nautical Dog on Instagram and Facebook
- Have a question about your pet that you want answered on the podcast? Email us at [email protected]
Follow Your Natural Dog on Facebook and Instagram and if you want to see what Angie (our founder) is up to, follow her on Facebook
About Angela Ardolino
Angela Ardolino, a certified cannabis and fungi clinician, brings over 20 years of expertise to the field of holistic pet wellness. As a graduate of the inaugural Medical Cannabis for Therapeutic Use program at the University of Vermont School of Medicine, she is a passionate advocate for safe, natural, and ethically-grown whole plant and fungi medicine tailored for pets.
Committed to the highest standards, Angela continues to educate and inspire pet parents through her popular podcast, Your Natural Dog, where she hosts experts to discuss holistic pet care, natural remedies, nutrition, and training. Follow Angela Ardolino on her website, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to stay updated on her mission to educate and empower pet parents everywhere.
About Amanda Wilbourne & The Nautical Dog
Amanda Wilbourne first opened Nautical Dog in 2006. What started out as a small gift shop for pets has expanded into the store that we are today. We are Williamsburg’s only independently owned and operated pet market.
With a passion for dogs and cats and a vast knowledge of pet nutrition, we only sell items that we would give to our own pets. Since we are not a franchise, every item is hand-picked by Amanda and her enthusiastic, animal-loving staff. Stop by often with your pup for a treat, a dog wash, or to pick out their favorite toy. And say hi to the shop cats, Ollie & Chili, while checking out our cat section.