Today we’d like to introduce you to Conni Noia.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My love for dogs runs deep within my roots. We always had dogs growing up and they were always my escape; my happy place, my safe space, the place where I could be me with no judgments. Spending my time with them faded my anxieties and my depression was more manageable as a child. I always gravitated to animals and young kids. They were always safe.
Not knowing what I wanted to do when I “grew up”, being a student for the past 10 years, working jobs in the automotive industry, frustrated I didn’t have a degree, I turned to trade school at the age of 28. I wanted to finish my associates degree. I saw a commercial for trade school, specifically veterinary technology. It sold me on loving on animals all day. I completed the program but did not feel that profession was my long-term goal, the career that filled my soul. In Vet Med there wasn’t as much “loving on animals” as I thought there would be. I came to terms that I didn’t want to poke them with needles, hold them for nail trims, cry with their owners when they had to say goodbye to their best friend. I gave some of these dogs their puppy shots; I saw them grow into adult dogs, helped with their old dog diseases, then ending with pink juice (euthanasia solution) intravenously. It took an emotional toll on my soul and frankly, it barely paid the bills. I started pet sitting as a side job to make ends meet. I LOVED IT! I got to play with dogs in my spare time, socialize them with my own dogs, and teach desensitization to those who needed special attention. I took these customers dogs to the American river, went on hikes, took them camping; adventures they normally would have never experienced. I felt like that was my “calling”, play with dogs all day, or also called enriching a dogs life! I couldn’t seem to make it work as a career at the time. Quitting my second vet tech job at UCDavis in which paid the bills wasn’t in the cards at that time, it offered a pension, raises, vast knowledge by the best minds in the field and great medical benefits. I continued to care for customer dogs in my spare time, rescue, rehabilitate and rehome dogs in need as I could. Rescue work was and still is a large passion of mine. I didn’t act upon that “calling” until I moved to Texas, 15 years after starting tech school at the age of 40. Visiting a friend in South Austin during the pandemic and August proved to be the seed that planted my roots and grew into the tree now called BarnDog. I felt a magnet pulling me to this great state. Something in me said move here. Mind you, I am not a mover! I moved throughout my childhood, went to 14 different schools in 6 years. I hated moving! Yet, I came home from my visit, told my daughters father I wanted to move to Texas, researched Austin over the next 6 weeks, continued to fall in love with Austin virtually and spiritually, put my house on the market, came to visit again with my daughters father, and we bought a house in January of 2021, a 3 bed 2 bath brick custom home in Niederwald with a little under an acre of space. It was perfect for our small family. We moved into our new home March 6, 2021, I started my new job at central texas vet specialty and emergency hospital. I lasted 6 weeks until I felt deep down that my heart was no longer in surgery or veterinary medicine. Earlier I had thought it was the place and the politics involved in the University hospital, but it wasn’t. I quit my job and started BarnDog in May of 2021. Our first campers (who are still our customers) came to stay with us for over a week in our new Dog Barn the second week of August, 3 months after we started our business adventure,
How did I end up in Luling? That’s a great question. Well, things didn’t work between my daughters’ father and I, so we decided to sell the house with our new, 2 story dog barn. It couldn’t be moved due to its size (20′ x 26′) and it was built on a slab of concrete. I was back to square one. I had the clientele to continue my business, which motivated me to find the perfect place for the pups, but finding property was difficult. At that time, interest rates were high, there weren’t any homes with property within the proper zoning that I could afford on my own and I was living with our neighbors who were generous to let us stay with them until we found a house. Thank you, Linda and Jim (RIP) Toney. I found the current property I’m on after 2 months of searching in local areas. Luling was as local as I could get from my targeted market. (I marketed, ground and pound in the Buda area, specifically the Sunfield subdivision.) Understanding no one will drive an hour for doggy daycare I decided I would bring the pups to me! I started offering shuttle service to and from the customers home. They get picked up in the morning, we played all day, owners get videos of our adventures as if they are a part of it, they got washed and sent home tired! We still offer these services, and our long-term goal is to have a doggy bus to tote them to and from our facilities 3 days a week,
Currently, we offer doggy daycare, boarding experiences, and shuttle service. Under that specialty umbrella we offer desensitization training, separation anxiety training, medical care/board and river excursions. We call it camp, a vacation for the dogs. We have thunder buddies for those who require extra special attention due to fireworks and good old Texas thunderstorms. The best part, in my opinion is we offer affordable care. We beat all South Austin/Buda/Kyle competitors with acres of fun for the dogs, no concrete. Every dog is treated as if they were an extension of our family (the family members we like anyways). We snuggle with them, watch movies, go swimming, treat them as they should be treated, canine royalty! Some sleep in our beds. There is no other mammal in my opinion that cares for us humans unconditionally without judgement like the domestic dog. BarnDog employees are here 24-7.
I still suffer from anxiety and depression as an adult but playing with dogs all day has been the best medicine for me to thrive personally. BarnDog is able to care for dogs in need, dumped puppies who need love and care, we offer long term boarding to those in need (hospitalized, deployed, etc.) at a fraction of what a normal boarding facility would charge.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Without the struggles we couldn’t experience the triumphs. Selling our first home with our custom dog barn was tough. My daughter and I did not have a home while home searching. We are fortunate and blessed to the Toney family for taking us in. Finding a new home for BarnDog and my family was a challenge. Day to day operations with two employees, sometimes only one, managing a ranch, a small family, fostering dogs, being a business owner and trying to be the best human I can possible has been a challenge. It makes the fruit sweeter in the end. It motivates me to do better and want m0re.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
See first page for specialties. BarnDog won best of Guadalupe county 2025 as a dog daycare center, we have 56, five star reviews, Clients adore our videos of their furr babies when they cannot be with them. Our shuttle vehicle has pawprints all over and stands out. We have 9 fenced exercise yards with no concrete and lots of shade. Pups are not left alone for hours unless it is nap time. We visit residents and staff at nursing homes with the dogs. It brightens everybody’s day. We have special events at dog parks to share our love for the dogs, meet the peeps, offer any advice, and give out pup cup, (pupachinos topped with pupperonis), and homemade treats. We have birthday parties for any boarding or daycare dogs. Golden hour (the hour before dusk) is celebrated daily. The dogs go to bed with pets, kisses, sweet dreams and a bedtime snack.
What makes you happy?
Caring for dogs, rescuing, rehabilitating, rehoming, helping the community with strays and being able to volunteer makes me happy, I want to give back to our communities and eventually care for euthanasia listed dogs. They would properly be rehabilitated and rehomed. They would have the ultimate second chance. BarnDog enjoys visits to Brodie Ranch Nursing Home and Rehab center. We offer canine therapy to the residents and staff twice monthly.
Pricing:
- $25 per night small dogs
- $30 per night medium dogs
- $35-40 per night med/large dog
- $45 per night large or unaltered dogs
- $50-60 per night for giant breeds/medical board
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.BarnDogTx.com
- Instagram: barndogtx
- Facebook: barn Dog Tx
