The Copperfield Tail Blazers is owned and operated by Carie and Holly Montgomery (Mother and Daughter).

Meet Holly

In 2004 Holly graduated with a degree in Computer Information Systems from Mount Royal College and spent the next two years working in the field. During this time, Holly had the opportunity to work at Sit Happens! as an assistant dog trainer. At Sit, Holly was able to learn a lot about dogs and their way of communicating to us and to each other. It was also the point in which Holly realized that she needed to be working with animals.

Next, Holly opened her own pet photography business called Mutt Shots Photography. Because of her ability to understand the animals she was photographing, she was and IS able to get very natural photographs of them. During this time Holly adopted three Boxers. Her first Boxer, Brindel had digestive problems (she was diagnosed with irritable bowel) for the first six months of her life. Holly found ways to bring a permanent stop to these issues with diet and herbs. Her second Boxer, Porter struggled with non-stop scratching, loss of hair, yeast overgrowth, and other complications. While attempting to get him help get some relief from his afflictions, Holly began to learn a lot about alternative ways to make him better. A few years later, Brindel has no problems with digestion, and Porter is doing much better dealing with his dust and mold allergies. Holly is now able to share her experiences with others dealing with these issues.

Holly has also taken courses specializing in animal health and well being. These courses include: Healing Touch for Animals Level 1, Flower Essences for Animals, Animal Energy Bodies, Animal Communication Level 1 and 2, and Reiki Level 1.

Holly also writes a monthly column called "Fido Files" for her community newsletters. The columns feature tips and information featuring everything from "Why does my dog eat poop?" to "Choosing the perfect dog".

Holly is also working part-time as a contributor to the Tail Blazers’ head office marketing team.

Meet Carie

Carie grew up in rural Manitoba with a love and respect for all animals, and for nature in general. In her family home there was always room for one more stray. In 1984 Carie graduated as a Medical Lab Technologist and, with her two small children Holly and Derek, moved to Northern Alberta for employment. She eventually settled in Red Deer, where she remained until her children were grown. She then moved to the Middle East where she worked and traveled for several years. While there Carie visited more than thirty countries, usually back-packing off the beaten track and often traveling solo. She also took up Scuba diving and learned to appreciate the beauty of the marine world.

The desire to be near her children and grand-children brought Carie back to Canada in 2004. Soon after returning, the opportunity to go into an animal-related business with her daughter Holly arose and she moved one more time. She now resides in Calgary with her two Aussies, Marlin who is hearing-impaired, and Moxie who helps take care of Marlin. The newest addition to her family is a Tennessee Walking Horse named Ruby.

Meet Debbie

Debbie comes to us all the way from Toronto where she spent seven years as a senior graphic designer with Air Miles Reward Miles (small company some of you may have heard of). She is not unlike the rest of us who started their lives in the corporate world, only to be drawn into a career with animals. She started her journey in Calgary working at the Country Club pet resort as a certified Pet Care Technician where she had an opportunity to learn about dog behavior, grooming, and handling. Working at the Country Club she also learned just how many pets relied on medications and special diets for their ailments.

One fateful day Debbie noticed Tail Blazers was hiring, and eager to learn more about alternative health care and natural nutrition, she applied. It’s obvious she got the job (I don’t just write this stuff for fun!) and she has learned so much and is eager to help spread the word to everyone about the importance of a healthful diet when it comes to life-long vitality in our pets.

In Debbie’s free time, she is running her own graphic design business called Owl Tree Design. Debbie also has certification in pet first aid, pet care technician, and a JKL grooming certification. Debbie has a found a perfect balance between her two passions - a creative outlet and a life gone to the dogs!

Debbie is owned by her precious Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Ella.

Meet Sarah

We are happy to have Sarah join our Tail Blazers' team! Sarah will be working part-time as a pet food consultant in our store.

Although new to the pet industry, Sarah is eager to learn and to use her background working in a Naturopath clinic.

Sarah has a beautiful (and very LARGE) Alaskan Malamute named Kai that is now enjoying his new raw food diet!

Welcome Sarah to our team!

Meet Dorcas

We are pleased to announce the addition of Dorcas Giesbrecht to our Tail Blazers' team! Dorcas will be working on a casual basis as a pet food consultant in our store.

Dorcas has extensive training and experience in the field of nutrition. She has her Masters of Applied Science in Nutrition and is also a Registered Holistic Allergist and Orthomolecular Health Practitioner. She has taken Healing Touch Therapy for animals and Animal Communication courses. Most recently she has completed training in Auricular Therapy.

I (Holly) have known Dorcas for many years and through her allergy therapy many of our customers know her too! Customers who have not yet met Dorcas will find her knowledge extremely helpful when choosing foods and supplements and those with more complex problems can book a personal consultation with Dorcas out of her home.

Welcome Dorcas to our team!

Please visit www.holisticmutt.com for more details on Dorcas' consultation services.

Meet Wally and Stuey

Wally (to the left) and Stuey (bottom picture) are our adorable, clever, and mischievous store Bengal cats. After only have open our store just a few months, and the first few months being rather slow and lonely, Holly decided to find a buddy to spend her days with. Little did she know the terror that beseeched her in Wally!

It took Wally little time to learn not to bite the customers (even though the customers called them love bites, we knew we had to teach him young to be careful with little hands) and that arms weren't for grabbing and kicking. Fortunately, his urge to beat up on someone was redirected with the surprise addition of Stuey to our family six months later.

Wally is an “old soul” and a very smart and obedient cat who teaches people every day the importance of good diet, and diligent training and socialization. YES, even with cats! And Stuey teaches people (especially his mommy) the importance of being silly and having fun (and of course cuddles).

Wally’s favorite phrase: “Stuey, you are an idiot!”

Stuey’s favorite phrase: “Don’t worry, be happy!”

A Message from Wally and Stuey:

Hi everyone. We wanted you to know some things about us so next time you come to our home you will understand why we act like we do... we like to say hi to you, but because we don’t know you we don’t feel comfortable being picked up or chased. With mommy it’s fun cause we know she won’t hurt us. We also want you to know that we are not for sale - mommy would never sell us or any other animals in her store. We wanted to tell you that ever since we were babies mommy taught us that when we are scared, or tired, our enclosure is the one place we can go that we’ll be safe and no body can come in to get us - it’s not a bad place for us it’s a good place. We do like to play outside of it too, but sometimes all the people and dogs make us worried and tired. The store is our home and we love that every day we meet new people and doggies, and we get to try lots of food and get into the cat grass and sometimes we steal toys. HEE HEE. It's really fun to live there, and I feel sad for other kitties that stay home all day alone and bored when we get to play and have fun!

We also want you to know one more thing... Us Bengal types, although we (me and Stuey) are OBVIOUSLY very pretty, well socialized, and well behaved, we - as a breed - are not for everyone. We get stressed around little ones who like to pick us up and grab us, and we like LOTS of attention and if we don’t get it we might wreck stuff in your house. We would like you to know that we are really good as a result of lots of training, mental and physical stimulation, guidance and rules, it’s not just because we are Bengals. So, please do your research first and we hear that there are lots of kitties looking for homes in shelters so check them out first!!

Wally and Stuey FAQS

1. Do you take the cats home at night?
No, the cats stay at the store at night. The sight of their carriers make them run and hide and the store is their home and that’s where they feel safest and most comfortable. While our cats get company all day and most cats don’t, ours spend their nights sleeping when most cats have company.
2. How old are they?
Wally is about 3 years old and Stuey is not far behind him.
3. Are they expensive?
Yes, I think so, but any purebred animal costs money.
4. Are they for sale?
No, Wally and Stuey are part of our Tail Blazers family. We don’t support the sale of animals in stores.
5. Are they friendly?
Yes, but if you hurt or scare them, they are animals and may do what they need to protect themselves. Wally and Stuey are VERY tolerant considering what they sometimes go through in a day.
6. Are they rare?
No, I didn’t have a hard time finding them. However, finding a responsible breeder I was happy with took a bit more research.
7. Are they boys or girls?
They are both boys.
8. What do they eat?
Wally and Stuey are on a mostly raw diet, with some exceptions from time to time.
9. Are they declawed?
No, declawing is painful and stressful for cats, and with minimal training we were able to teach our cats to NOT scratch food bags and toys. They also have never used their claws to defend themselves, even when sometimes I think they should! ;) We also keep their nails trimmed so they are not as sharp (mostly to prevent holes in our bags when they jump on them since they don’t use them for much else!)
10. Do they ever try to run out?
They haven't yet - we try not to encourage them by not giving them positive attention when they are by the door. We also appreciate it if you could keep your eye on them when you come and go. It takes a village!
11. Where did you get them?
From a breeder in Rocky Mountain House called Wild Forest Bengals.