The Canine Concierge
Thoughtful care. Trusted coordination. Peace of mind.
About Rachel
I’ve been figuring out how to care for dogs, wherever in the world life takes us, for a very long time.
In 2009, while living in Buenos Aires, Argentina on assignment with Fortune magazine, I met Maia, a rescue dog who would become one of the great loves of my life. I already knew I wouldn't be staying in Argentina forever, so when the opportunity came to move again, I began what would become my first real education in international pet travel.
Getting Maia from Argentina to Indonesia was anything but simple. There was paperwork to get her out of Argentina, transit documentation to navigate through Taiwan, entry requirements for Indonesia, and, once we arrived, a two-week quarantine period.
And then, when it was time to leave Indonesia, I discovered something I had never known existed: an exit permit for my dog. I was standing at the airport, checking in for my flight, when I realized that Maia couldn't simply leave the country with me. I panicked. My immediate response was, essentially, absolutely not. I'm not leaving without my dog.
That experience stayed with me. Because when you're traveling internationally with an animal, the stakes feel very different. You can't afford to discover an important requirement at the airport. You can't simply assume someone else has taken care of the details. And when something goes wrong, you need someone who understands the system, knows what questions to ask, and is willing to stay with it until it gets done.
Most importantly, you need someone who understands that this isn't cargo. It's your family.
Long before Canine Concierge, there were dogs.
My relationship with dogs has always extended far beyond simply owning them.
While living abroad, I missed my own dog back home in Chicago so much that I began volunteering with animals wherever I could. I worked with shelters in Jordan, Argentina, Trinidad, Macedonia and Pakistan. I fostered puppies I found abandoned in a box in Malta.
It wasn't something I set out to build a résumé around. I simply saw dogs who needed help, and I helped.
That instinct followed me to The Bahamas.
I've been actively involved with the Bahamas Humane Society through their dog-walking program, foster dogs, and serve on the board of BAARK!, an organization focused on spaying and neutering to help address the stray dog population in The Bahamas.
I was also part of the on-the-ground team for Operation Potcake, helping collect dogs, bring them in for spaying and neutering, and return them home.
I've learned that caring for dogs isn't always pretty or convenient. Sometimes it means paperwork and airport terminals. Sometimes it means sitting quietly with a frightened dog until they trust you. Sometimes it means managing a very strong dog who needs confident handling. And sometimes it means simply rolling up your sleeves and getting the job done.
I've done all of it.
I understand that every dog is different.
I've lived with rescue dogs who needed patience and reassurance, dogs who arrived with their own histories and fears, and dogs who required a very different kind of confidence and structure.
I've also owned a Belgian Malinois, so I know what it means to work with a dog who is powerful, intelligent, energetic and very much not interested in being handled casually.
That range has taught me something I consider fundamental to Canine Concierge:
Good care isn't one-size-fits-all.
Some dogs need reassurance. Some need boundaries. Some need someone who can advocate for them. Some need a little extra time to understand what's happening. And some simply need a person who is paying close enough attention to notice when something isn't right.
That's the kind of care I believe every dog deserves.
