About Us

Rachel Friedman

Founder and President, Rachel Friedman

A Better Pet’s founder Rachel Friedman has worked with both people and animals — primarily dogs, cats and horses — as far back as she can remember. She enjoyed a childhood rich with many animal interactions. After early horse exposure at Camp Red Raider, Rachel spent countless hours in her teens on a quarter horse Appaloosa ranch. It was there she learned the power of non force and was entrusted with training several horses.

Riding with Zena on the beach in Montauk, LI 2007

Rachel earned a B.A. in Social Sciences from The University of Michigan and a Master’s Degree in Social Work (MSW) from The University of Pennsylvania. Sandwiched between her formal education was an eclectic hands-on life experience including peripatetic travels both in and out of the United States including stints in film & television production work in Hollywood & Jamaica, public housing, communal farming, not to mention a myriad of food industry and secretarial gigs. Post graduate social work experiences focused on early childhood development and emergency mental health/crisis intervention along with the birth and early childhood years of her three daughters, now 17, 13 and 11.

Callie, Sophie & Zena

Merging her passions, Rachel launched A Better Pet in the fall of 1999. Starting with pet dog training and offering both private and group services from the very beginning, Rachel naturally progressed into service dog training.

She placed her first dog, Ruby, a red merle Australian Shepherd, with a young girl with spina bifada.

Hiding the tears on Ruby's final day before heading to her new service dog placement in May 2003.

Since then Rachel has helped select, raise, train, place, support and educate numerous dogs for both adults and children, in Cleveland and throughout the U.S.

Har-Vest got awarded a Patent in May 2008

Rachel added inventor to her resume with the creation of Har-Vest, the first and only hybrid no-pull harness and vest/backpack on the market today. Inspired to develop Har-Vest  by her service dog work and originally designed  for service and therapy dogs, Har-Vest has proven to be an amazingly functional and therapeutic product for pet and service dog animals, on leash and off.

Har-Vest was born of need and opportunity.

Har-Vest was helped to market through the Cuyahoga County New Product Loan fund when Rachel was selected as one of the first 10 recipients of the program in May, 2005.

In addition to pet and service dog training, Rachel is available for public speaking on a variety of topics as well as providing expert witness/evaluation services, consults and more.


Rachel is a frequent guest on (Nashville, Tennessee) WRFN’s radio show, THE POLITICS OF DOGS with irreverent host Tracy Ann,  heard Tuesdays at 10 am EST.

She shares her blog on Dog Star Daily and writes the Cleveland Pet Training column for The Examiner.com.

Muses From My Past - The Girls

Many dogs have come in and out of my life and I certainly had my share of family dogs growing up. Below are the five major players of my adult life — from my past and present — who have been my crash test dummies and to whom I am most grateful for helping me in my own journey of benevolent leadership.

Teisha – 1981 – 1995

Teisha's First Snow 1981

My first and probably most valuable teacher. Teisha ushered in my entry into adulthood as a 21st birthday gift. She eased the tumultuousness of my young adulthood and kept me stable. In our nearly 14 years together we lived in five states, 28 different living situations and lots of travel — Teisha visited over 30 U.S. States and Canada in our peripatetic life.  She helped me get though college (often coming to class quietly and surreptitiously) and graduate school. She mothered 17 pups in 3 litters helping pave the way and waiting around long enough to help me start my own mothering journey before going on to the Rainbow Bridge in March 1995 when my oldest daughter was 2. Like Mary Poppins, Teisha was practically perfect in every way.

Maeya – 1991 – 2001

Maeya 1991 - 2001

Maeya joined the clan when Teisha was 10 and I realized I needed Teisha’s wisdom to wrangle a new pup. A post graduate school gift to myself , Maeya serendipitously entered my life in the summer of 1991. A Catahoula Leopard Stock Dog from a working cattle ranch in New Hope, PA, Maeya helped rejuvenate her canine mentor and doubled the fun. She taught me about hound humor and the need for patience in the slow-to-mature nature of her breed group. Everything I know about reliable recall started with Maeya. This noble girl helped me survive the births and early childhood of all 3 of my daughters.

Rachel with her girls, Maeya (foreground), Finney (left) and Lily (puppy in arms) circa January 2000.

Maeya died from complications of recurring breast cancer but on her own terms and in my arms. Stoic and gentle to the end, her death was an amazing final gift after a decade of adventure. Maeya helped with Lily’s first years and nurtured many foster dogs, cats and kittens that crossed our threshold during her lifetime.

Lily – 1999 – 2010

Lily The Queen

What can I say. The Queen of the Pack, my go to girl, my aide de camp, Lily lost her battle with canine hemangiosarcoma in January 2010 at the age of 10 years, 2 mos. Her loss is still fresh and I find myself missing her at odd times. Her journeys are profiled throughout the history of the blog entries. Like Teisha, Lily was a great teacher. Unlike Teisha who had the sunniest of personalities, it was working through Lily’s quirks and challenges that both inspired and challenged me to walk the walk many of my clients learn to also follow in helping overcome their dog’s behavioral issues. And like her mentor, Maeya, Lily died on her own terms and in the loving arms of myself and this time, also my daughters.

The Current Pack – the Boys

Boys will be boys - Trip and Bean.

Trip

Trip - Mr. Happy Pants

Trip joined the pack several months after Maeya’s loss in late 2001. I had always wanted a large dog in a little dog package. Enter the Jack Russell Terrier.

Trip fits the bill and more. Irrepressible, happy, loyal and occasionally terrieristic, Trip is a trip.

Bean

Bean is a gem.

After Teisha’s loss in 1995, I swore I would NEVER get another English Springer Spaniel. I feared  it would invite comparisons. None could even hold a candle to the revered memory of my heart dog, Teisha.

I needn’t have worried! In September 2003 Bean joined the crew. All boy where Teisha had been a refined lady, Bean enjoys anything life has to offer. Just as happy to rip through the woods as hang serenely in formal public speaking situations, Bean is the epitome of loyal and true.

The Cats

I would be remiss if I didn’t include the felines of A Better Pet. Too many have graced the portals to mention, many as a way station to forever homes, but the 3 who reside here now, all rescues with fascinating tales leading them to Chez A Better Pet, are, in order of seniority , Grace, Lola and Byrne.

Grace

Lola

Byrne