Hi Everyone, it's good to be back - I've had a busy but very fun month!

For the newcomers here, this is The Journal, where I bring you the good reads every month, straight to your inbox - welcome and enjoy! 

This month, I sought some warmer weather on the Gold Coast to catch up with Jess Donaldson, the girl behind @threegoldenbears. We talked all things cocker spaniels, social media and...good hair!

Stay tuned on socials for this month's Real Talk, where I'll be getting into some toasty tips to keep your pets safe and warm this winter!

Speaking of warmth, have you got your custom dog breed jumper yet...? 

P U P P Y  P R E S C H O O L

Puppy preschool keeps bringing in the goods and this month has been a bit of a 'Kelpie thing'!

T H R E E  G O L D E N  B E A R S  

This month, I met Jess Donaldson, who may just love cocker spaniels more than I do! Affectionally known by her friends and family as "the dog girl", Jess started a little instagram account for her, then new puppy, Charlie as not to "annoy her friends with too much dog content". That little account has bloomed into a massive community of over 136,000 followers, home to the daily lives of, now 9 year old Charlie, 7 year old Frankie and 1.5 year old Sonny. I had to meet this 'dog girl' and her @threegoldenbears_ and I'm so glad I did! 

"The bears", as Jess refers to them, arrive in full force; one thing is clear, they are each obsessed with Jess! They are a big part of her brand - when she's not posting their antics on social media, she is busy running her own hairdressing business, which explains why these dog's have such great hair! "Client's really enjoy having them in the salon - I swear they come for the dogs, not me!"

Speaking of hair, did you see that reel with the Dyson air wrap that went viral? The two part reel series drew in 37 million and 24 million views respectively but things had blown up before that. "It's crazy what one good video can do!"

I care a lot about breed choice so for those of you who are thinking of getting a cocker spaniel, I asked Jess about their best and worst characteristics. "They are incredibly affectionate, smart and loyal...but are also generally very high maintenance. Coat maintenance is no joke; daily ear brushing, cleaning lip folds..."  

Jess's childhood cocker, Sammy, set the stage for Charlie, Frankie and Sonny. She is very open and honest about the hard work of having the three bears. "They are not a breed you can put in the back yard...they are a highly emotional breed." Sonny is going through a "spicy adolescent" stage and that requires management too. That being said, Jess doesn't fail to mention that "all the hard work is soooo worth it!"

As someone living with ADHD, Jess attributes this to being able to care for the three high energy cockers. It's unsurprising that Jess has made a variety of career moves. She used to work as a vet nurse before it began to take a toll. "I'm always looking for what's next and want to try different things...though I enjoyed the balance of hairdressing and nursing, I struggled to switch off the emotional toll it was taking." 

As for her creative endeavours, for now, Jess is showing up very consistently on social media and it's clear she loves it! It has ebbed and flowed over the years but with a more transparent approach than ever, she's sharing plenty of BTS cocker content, helpful info on Sonny's behavioural challenges and the day to day mischief of all three bears!

You can follow @threegoldenbears_ for more of Charlie, Frankie and Sonny!

T H E  S T O R E

Have you got your custom jumper yet? Custom embroidered dog breed jumpers are available through my store! Simply select your women's or mens crew neck jumper, your size and dog breed and I'll have that custom made and sent directly to your door - simple!

Keep sending in your questions for me to share with the wider audience - if you are thinking about it, so is everyone else!

Thank you, to each of you for being in this community, word of mouth goes a long way and so does a review!

I hope to see you soon!

www.jbrpets.com | e: puppyschool@jbrpets.com | m: 0415 908 808

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