Enlightened Pawz owner Joanna Bishop outside her home at 127 Aztec Avenue in White Rock. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
Enlightened Pawz has a special area for dog training which is one of the many pet services offered by owner Joanna Bishop. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com
Joanna Bishop, owner of Enlightened Pawz, may be just the right person to help you with your pets – everything from cats and dogs to chickens and turtles. Bishop was born in Los Alamos and her parents, Jenny and Alan Bishop still live here.
Bishop has a varied background. She graduated from Santa Fe Community College with a degree in Architectural Drafting and Construction Management. She also was at one time certified as a professional nanny. Now that she is following her passion training and boarding dogs she has become a certified dog trainer through CATCH Canine Trainers Academy.
“I thought I knew a lot about dogs but I learned so much through the academy. It was great to certify through a reputable school with an extensive curriculum. I gained a deeper understanding of how dogs learn and how to communicate with them,” Bishop said.
She is also “fear-free” certified and CPR and First Aid certified for pets.
Bishop feels that control is very important for training sessions. She has had a special training area constructed outside her home with a tall cedar fence all around it and artificial turf on the surface. It works really well her puppy training and basic obedience classes as the dogs are not distracted.
In addition to training, Bishop boards dogs that can get along with her own dogs. She has many long-time clients who say their dogs are always happy when they are retrieved from her care. Being surrounded by her own and other people’s dogs makes her very happy.
Bishop also cat-sits; she will go to a client’s home clean out the kitty litter box, make sure their cats have food and water, and if requested, will hang around and give them a little love. She also provides a claw-clipping service if needed.
Her website, EnlightenedPawz.com, lists all the services she provides for other animals such as horses, rabbits, birds, chickens, geckos, turtles and more.
Bishop has four dogs of her own; Marley, a shepherd-beagle mix, Zadie, a golden retriever, Leilani, A dachshund-Chihuahua, and Reese, a 7-month old Labrador puppy. She also has two sons, Sawyer and Carter.