We’re looking forward to introducing you to Clinton LeClerc. Check out our conversation below.
Clinton, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I am a morning person through and through, and usually am wide awake sometime between 4-6am, much to my lazy dog Friday’s dismay. I tend to give her some extra time to snooze while I prepare my favorite meal of the day, breakfast! I typically load up with some variety of eggs, toast, potatoes, yogurt, and fruit to fuel me up for a long day of entertaining dogs (and cats!), and will eat while catching up on some true crime or putting on the ShudderTV autoplay. Cleaning really kicks me into gear, so I tend to follow up by doing some dishes and vacuuming before I wake Friday up for her morning potty. She will fall asleep again shortly after breakfast and is happy to hold her favorite chair down while I head off to spend the day with dogs that actually move!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Perna’s Pet Care began with Caitlin Perna in 2018 including pet sitting and dog walking services. We have now grown to include litter box deep cleanings, dog training, and wedding pet attendants to fit demands from clients. Our goal is to make pet care as simple and stress free as possible for pet owners whether they are just at work or away on vacation. We recently sponsored one of our most senior employees to become a force-free dog trainer to offer support for our current dog clients as well as others. As a company we are always looking to stay up to date on the industry and pet care, behavior, and safety to ensure a well rounded experience for everyone.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
For fourteen years I toiled in restaurants, content to work a mundane job so long as it paid the bills. I don’t believe I was discontent, but in retrospect, I do believe I was entirely unfulfilled. Though with such an extensive history of experience I found the work to be easy– even second nature to a point– I think I fell into a routine that did not leave much room for self-expression, hobbies, the types of things that really make a person themselves and not just an employee. After a series of adverse experiences in my mid-twenties, I additionally found myself contained by my own agoraphobia; I often found myself making excuses for avoiding even the most essential of outings, like to the grocery store. In this time, my tedious job became all I did. It is when I consider this self-isolation that I wonder what inspired me to take the leap into professional pet care and, eventually what I consider my true calling, dog training. It is a decision I do not see myself ever having made if it were not for the powerful and nurturing relationship I forged with my dog, and for that I am endlessly grateful to her. I am now so fortunate to wake up every day feeling the fulness of my cup, and even more to pour into those of the dogs and owners I meet who need professional, and social support. Not only does my job now bring me the joy that never lets my cup run dry, but the discovery of my true direction has done immeasurable good for enriching my life outside of the professional world which provides me with abundance.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear of rejection has been a cloud above my head since I first became socially aware. In childhood, I was just “the weird kid”– now I understand this to be clinical, genetic, the natural composition of my brain; an unavoidable reality that permeates all aspects of my life. In many ways I believe being neurodivergent has been a personal advantage, such as in academic settings. In many others, it is an obvious social hurdle. For this reason I have a history of being socially rejected in the most subtle, to the most overt ways imaginable. It has lead me to develop– especially in my younger years– certain social schematics designed specifically to avoid rejection, but which may suppress my natural expression. The older I get, the less committed to this I find myself.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What truths are so foundational in your life that you rarely articulate them?
That all human beings deserve decency, opportunity, support, comfort, health, and joy. That these things should not be reliant upon the acquisition of resources of which their value is entirely defined by structures designed to funnel said resources in a way that is misrepresented within the global population.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I truly believe there is nothing more suitable for me than dedicating my life to nourishing the comfort, stability, and wellbeing of all dogs and their owners.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://pernapetcare.com/training
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/pernapetcare
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pernapetcare
- Other: https://humanetraining.org/michigan/pernas-pet-care-training/
https://positively.com/find-a-trainer/connect/220-clinton-leclerc
