About Aura Paws

My name is Heather and I am a private canine consultant located in Richmond, Virginia and am available to assist you with all of your canine needs. I am a native Virginian, originally moving to the Richmond area in 2007 to attend the Fine Arts program (and play field hockey) at VCU. I have worked within the canine care industry for the better of sixteen years in multiple capacities. I began working with dogs when at thirteen I developed a science project entitled “Can you teach and old dog new tricks?”, and took it to the State competition. This was just the first step in pursuing a lifelong passion for the care and training of canines. My first jobs were in kennels and in an emergency veterinary hospital. I am now applying my knowledge and experience to training and grooming.

Working with dogs has always been more of a calling than a job for me.  My approach with our canine companions has been a way for me to share the experience I had with my first dog that I found in a shelter when I was still a teenager. She quickly became a huge part of my life in every way. This relationship truly made me who I am now and helped me connect not only with myself but also with my community. My goal in canine handling stems from the support she gave me as well as other dogs by working through obstacles that can hinder confidence, emotional growth, healing through a traumatic history, or even just a lack of social experiences.  KonaLuna was a Siberian Husky found as a stray at about four years old wandering around for what appeared to be most of her life due to her physical condition. Her pleasant personality and friendly behavior with children, dogs, and even cats was breaking the mold of expectations for a very prey driven and independent breed. I honestly do not recall a single dog she did not like, which made her an amazing advocate for dogs who struggled with socialization. Her confidence always kept me going and incredibly proud to be her human. Living in her image now I want to extend that experience to each of my extended canine family members within my community. At Aura Paws Pet Services, we understand that your pets are part of your family. That's why we offer a range of pet care services to give you peace of mind while you're away. Whether you need dog walking, pet sitting, or grooming services, our experienced team is here to provide the love and care your pets deserve.