About Us

-Kimberly Palermo, Owner

I have dreamed of a career with animals for as long as I can remember!   Even as a child I would spend endless hours catching bugs, drawing horses, or playing with my family's many pets.  For my first "job" I mucked out my neighbor's horse stalls for free.  My parents bred Collies, so at an early age I learned how to raise a litter of puppies, groom, train, and show dogs.  As I grew older I held multiple jobs at pet supply stores, doggie daycares, and dog training facilities...I could never spend too much time with dogs!  In 2005 I graduated from The University of New Hampshire with a bachelor's degree in Zoology & minor in Animal Behavior.  It was then that I realized that not only did I want a career with animals, but I wanted to be a business owner as well! So after graduating from college, I continued my education and earned a Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship from Boston University while I held a sales job for a pet supply manufacturing company. 

In January of 2008 I took the plunge and began my own business, Impromptu Dog Walking, which is now BlueDog.  Why BlueDog?  It's a tribute to my first dog, a blue-merle Collie!  When I was only 6 years old my parents took me to a breeder to pick out my very own dog.  I immediately fell in love with a little blue-merle Collie who I named Maggie.  Maggie truly taught me the joys of sharing my life with dogs.  After 11 wonderful years, Maggie passed away, but I still think of her every single day, and therefore I have renamed my business BlueDog in memory of her.  I continually want to improve & educate myself and my business.  I am constantly reading about dog behavior, attending seminars, and apprenticing as a dog trainer.  Most recently I received a Certification in Professional Dog Training by Gail Fisher's All Dogs Academy.  My days are focused completely on dogs, if it's not with yours, it's with mine, bringing them to training classes and competing in shows.  My business has truly become a dream come true and I absolutely love what I do, I couldn't be happier with the path I have taken!

~Kim

Chris Palermo, Business Manager

Chris Palermo is BlueDog's behind the scenes guy.  He had always had an interest in dogs, but little did he know when he married Kimberly that his entire life would revolve around them.  Chris received his Bachelor's Degree in Business from the University of Massachusetts, Boston and has over ten years of professional experience as a sales manager in the corporate world.  From the start he has supported and helped with the early growth of BlueDog, but in early 2012 he took the leap and began working full time for the business.  He helps to ensure that everything runs smoothly and efficiently and is constantly looking for ways to increase customer experience.  When he is not working on the business, he attends dog training classes with his "daddy's girl," Elsa.  You can also find him assisting classes at BlueDog Academy, helping at events, and driving around town in the BlueDog van.

Our Trainers

Amy Kisiel

Amy is a certified dog trainer from Mount Ida College's Dog Training program.  Her experience began from growing up in a family of dog lovers and at a young age she began volunteering at the MSPCA as a dog walker.  She then began walking dogs professionally for BlueDog in the fall of 2009.  Her passion and talent was quickly apparent, which led to her pursuing a career in dog training.  Since receiving her certificate Amy has helped countless dogs become happy, well mannered members of their family.  She is also a proud member of The Association of Pet Dog Trainers.

Eric Vose

Four years ago Eric began his lifelong commitment to work with dogs as a volunteer dog walker at the MSPCA.  He then moved on to work at the Salem Animal Rescue League as an animal care specialist, transport coordinator, and dog trainer.  He now walks and trains dogs professionally for BlueDog.  He is currently working towards his Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed certification, or CPDT-KA.

House Sitters

In addition to some of our dog trainers and walkers offering house sitting, we also have two girls who offer house sitting only!

Emma

Our weekend walker and house sitter is Emma.  She is a junior at Babson College and plays for the Babson Women's LacrosseTeam!  She's also a devoted dog lover and owner of two wonderful pups, Chica, a German Shorthaired Pointer, and Hannah, a Siberian Husky.  She has lived with dogs her entire life, as well as multiple other animals including bunnies, hedgehogs, and fish!  She looks forward to one day having her own two black labs, but in the meantime she's excited to hang out with BlueDog pups!

Susie

Susie is another one of our house-sitter for those times when you're going away and have to leave your pup at home.  She'll stay overnight at your house, providing the most socialization and companionship possible, in a place where your pup is most comfortable...his own home!  She has shared her life with countless Beagles and Dachshunds, her breeds of choice!  Her pups spend their summers at a lake house on Bow Lake in NH, where Susie and I met as kids and shared our love for dogs.

BlueDog is hiring local dog lovers! Please see our Employment page if you're interested.

Our Walkers:

As my business grows, it is very important for me to grow the very best team of walkers possible.  Each of my walkers shares my lifelong passion for dogs.  They walk the same dogs consistently, so you can rest assured that the same person is coming to your house everyday and spending time with your dog. And if they ever can't make it, I will arrange to walk your dog myself!

To ensure that we are prepared to handle any situation, all of our walkers are Red Cross certified in dog first aid and CPR!  We are able to recognize when a dog is distressed, bandage a wound, perform CPR when needed, and more. This knowledge allows us to take care of your dog in all situations, ensuring that he's always in good hands!

Meghan

Meghan loves walking dogs for us because animals are her passion!  She has grown up with many dogs and a multitude of other animals throughout her entire life.  Being a pet owner and having a passion for animals has her dreaming of becoming a vet tech one day, and she hopes to soon enroll into a college program while walking to help lead her to that dream career!  Her 120 pound pit bull/mastiff mix, Jack, and her two cats are her absolute best buddies!

Katie