Chad worked as a kennel supervisor for more than a year at a Houston pet resort before joining the family at Houston Dog Ranch.  Chad has a special way with dogs and seems to build an instant rapport with each and everyone he meets.  He is certified by the Pet Care Services Assoc. as a Level II Pet Care Technician and has also volunteered with the Texas Wildlife Rehabilitation Commission.

Chad has a sincere love for animals and currently shares his home with four dogs – Bandit, Chatanooga, Snowshoes, and Sycamore, as well as a cat named Baby Brownie.

Colleen has a background in Finance and Accounting, which she studied at the University of Illinois. While living abroad in Holland and the United Kingdom for 5 years, she decided to re-direct her career to something she was passionate about – dogs! She went back to school in the UK and obtained an Advanced Diploma in Canine Behavior Management, and she trained dogs for several years in London while volunteering at the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home. Colleen rescued Ben, her Border Terrier, in 2004.

Colleen trains with positive training methods and believes in the importance of teaching owners practical approaches to training and living with their dogs. Her passion is clicker training, which constantly reminds her of how intelligent dogs are and the learning they are capable of when given prompt, positive feedback. Clicker training has taught Colleen that if the dogs aren’t learning something, it’s probably because we’re not teaching them properly!
Colleen's Affiliations and Certifications

After working for Texas Children‘s Hospital for a few years, Nicole decided to turn her love for animals into a career with animals and became a vet tech.  She spent the last 8 years as a veterinary and surgery technician for several clinics in Houston and Katy.  Nicole is an avid animal lover and has been involved in animal rescue for  over 10 years.  She fosters animals for Citizens for Animal Protection and always has a household of animals needing forever homes.  She has a passion for taking care of the dogs, especially here at the ranch and is excited to join a great team!

She shares her home with her partner, Alicia, and her rescued dogs Honey, Ox, Luke, Pippen, Mirabella and lots of rescued cats! Nicole is an asset to the team at HDR. She is not only extremely knowledgable, she is also gentle and kind with all animals that cross her path. When your pooch is in Nicole's care, you can rest easily knowing that he is in great hands! We feel very lucky to have Nicole be a part of the ranch family!

Here at the Ranch, we think Lupe is the best maintenance man in the business.  There is nothing he can’t fix and no problem he can’t solve.  Lupe is no stranger to ranches.  He has worked with animals on a real ranch.  Lupe lives on-site and has pet first aid training.  He provides the Ranch with round-the-clock security and night-time care for our canine guests.   He is known to make rounds between 2AM and 4AM just to make sure all is well.  Lupe pitches in wherever he is needed to keep things running smoothly.  Everyone loves Lupe and we are so glad to have such a talented and loyal person working with us. 

Tracy earned a BA in Communications from Stephen F. Austin State University where she met her husband, Jed.  They have three children, Sydney, Tyler and Cooper.  Their house is always filled with well loved pets!  They currently have two boxers, Tucker and Marley, two cats, Boo Radley and Tater Tot, and the newest member of their canine clan, a Boston terrier named Cricket.  We can’t forget the 10-year old rabbits either – Hank and Nibbles.

Tracy chose to spend the past years as an avid volunteer at her children’s schools.  She now enjoys spoiling and caring for the guests at the Dog Ranch.  Each dog who visits the ranch brings her joy and the satisfaction of providing that personal touch.  Rest assured, with Tracy, your dog will get tucked in at bedtime!

Diane has been an animal lover her whole life and while she does love all animals, dogs are her passion. For many years she has been known by her family and friends to foster countless strays. Diane has a BA in Mathematics from Vanderbilt University. She did not initially plan to work with animals and, like many people in this industry, has undergone several career changes before finding her true calling. After working for 3 years as a veterinary technincian in a local animal hospital, she knew that a career in the pet care industry is where she belonged.

Diane is involved with with the Brazos Valley Doberman Rescue Group. She has always loved "dobies" and has one of her own, a red female named Reeses, as well as a Jack Russell Terrier named Chloe to complete her pack. Since Diane joined the ranch in September 2009 she has been having a blast playing with our daycare dogs. As wonderful as it is to be able to have fun with the dogs, it has been an even greater learning experience for Diane, for which she is truly grateful.

Ashley grew ip in Wichita, Kansas. She moved to Houston in January 2010 with her two dogs, Daisy, a sweet little Beagle, and Sara, an energetic Lab/Rottweiler/Shepherd mix and her cat Kyla.

When she was younger, Ashley aspired to be a veterinarian. She worked as a veterinary technician in Wichita for two years. Upon deciding to pursue a career in the culinary arts, she moved to Houston and is currently attending culinary school at the Art Institute of Houston, specializing in Baking & Pastry. Ashley enjoys working at HDR because it allows her to fulfill her desire to be with dogs while still following her dream of being a chef. Plus, she can't think of anything more fun than playing with dogs all day! Ashley hopes to one day incorporate her love of dogs with her love of baking by opening a doggie bakery.