We are the epitome of a family business. We are a little family who runs a little dog business together out of our home in Prospect Hill, NC. Our goal is to do what we love to do, which we hope develops happier, healthier dogs, connection to local families, and community through it all.

I (Matt) started working with dogs after college and somehow with over ten years in the business - dog walking, dog sitting, dog driving, dog daycares, dog training - I’m still not tired of them yet. Somehow I love them perhaps more now than when I started. I always say that I learn so much from them, probably more than they learn from me. Thankfully, I found my wife who loves dogs almost as much as I do and our little dream works.

I met Sarah at a music festival in Pittsboro in 2021, and we saw life partners in each other and a life vision came together very quickly. Somehow it all made sense . . . and somehow it happened fast. Sarah moved from Atlanta to Durham, we got married, and we found and moved into what is now Ruby Lou’s Ranch in 2022. We found out that we were pregnant with our son, Colt, the day after we moved in. Thankfully, he loves dogs too (pre-approved dogs with supervision anyway ;) ).

As a small business owner, one of the things I’m most proud of is the connection we have not just with the dogs we care for, but the families that entrust us with their precious pets. I (now we) are often brought into people’s lives when a dog is a puppy, and we get to see the dog grow, mature, and become unique and beloved family members in their homes. I believe that their time here with the healthy small group socialization, the education, the exercise, fresh air, and touch of extra family makes all the difference. Healthier, happier dogs, and at the very least less stressed dog parents.

Our Vision

We love what we do, and in the name of building healthier, happier animals and happier healthier humans - our hope is to expand into an animal sanctuary and community space where we connect people with each other, with animals, to nature, and themselves.

And, we do all this under the name of Ruby Lou, the little red dog Sarah rescued in 2020 who was weird then and is still a weird little loner today. We love her and by naming our family business after her - we proclaim that weirdos are welcome here too.