Meet Tonya Christiansen | Certified Pet Food Nutrition Specialist and Dog Enthusiast

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tonya Christiansen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tonya, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I feel the most important factor behind my success is passion and persistence. First, passion is what drives me. It is my purpose. And never giving up is very important. There have been countless times I have wanted to give up or wondered if I was doing the right thing. The nagging feeling that if I gave up, success could’ve been just around the corner, is what kept me going. You have to have the mindset of failure is NOT an option.

What should our readers know about your business?
My business is Must Love Dogs! We are a specialty dog shop. What makes us special is our passion and dedication to our customers and their people. We have 5 Certified Pet Food Nutrition Specialists on staff, two further certified in Raw feeding and one certified in Herbalism! The greatest gift I feel one could receive is more time with a loved one (human or otherwise). What we do in our shop gifts that to our customers. Whether it be proactive, before illness, or reactive, after a pet is sick, we can help. I feel so blessed to be able to provide that to our customers. My staff is just as fulfilled by our mission as I am. When I opened up 16 years ago, natural approaches to pet health were not thought about as much as they are today. It was difficult to introduce new products and/or ideas and have them be well received. We were persistent and backed our ideas with science and anecdotal evidence. Now we are the biggest seller of raw food for pets in the state (out of single location).

I got to where we are today by establishing myself as the local expert in what we do. I put myself out there via regular TV segments with FOX and WZZM TV, writing articles, speaking events, etc. It took a while and it had to be repeated. I laser focused my marketing to people with dogs. I served on the boards of the local kennel club and local dog training club. I am present at local dog events – but not as a vendor but rather as a fellow participant. Then I mingle with people and get out from behind the table. I would see competitors “manning the booth” while I was out with my customers. I filled our marketing calendar with fun and useful events for people and their dogs. And, as always, persistence…. It was not easy. I sometimes got lost and had to take a step back and re-focus.

Dogs are such amazing creatures. They give so much to us without even trying. I feel that it our responsibility to care for them to the best of our abilities. Educating dog parents is very important. And offering items that they might not have access to typically in a local shop, as opposed to having to order online. We have a knowledgeable and passionate staff to help our customers through the winding and uncertain road of canine health and nutrition.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Grand Haven is a resort town that I get to live in! We have a beautiful beach and lighthouse. We would walk the waterfront, get ice cream and Pronto Pups. We would spend a day playing with our dogs on the beach and pack a picnic. Dinners would be at Noto’s on the beach and Snug Harbor situated on the channel of the Grand River. From the deck, you can see the pier and lighthouse and the magnificent sunset! We have three local dog parks and many hiking trails. Another dinner would be at the Paisley Pig, a local gastro pub. Excellent food! They even have robot servers! We have some amazing breweries and a distillery as well as wine tasting. Oh and the Musical Fountain! It was once the world’s largest musical fountain but I think a fountain in Japan took that title from us. It plays every night during the summer season and is situated on the other side of the channel. There is a beautiful park where people can sit and enjoy the show. Watersports are an option. Water skiing on Spring Lake, paddle boarding on the Grand River and boating or surfing on Lake Michigan!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
No one is successful on their own. First, my boyfriend, Brian, has been so supportive of me. I can’t say enough about what it means to have the emotional backing of your significant other. It makes you feel like you can conquer the world! I have a Retail Mentor, Bob Negen from Whizbang Training who has had a lot to do with my success as well. When I was in the service industry, I used his retail seminars to help me offer the best customer service. Once I decided to open my shop, I met with him immediately. He made it so I didn’t have to reinvent the wheel. I can only imagine how much money, time and emotional breaks from which he has saved me. And last but certainly not least, my employees. Employees are the most difficult aspect of owning a business for me. But I have a wonderful team who is passionate and knowledgeable. I would never be where I am without them.

Website: www.mustlovedogsonline.com

Instagram: mustlovedogsgh

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mustlovedogsonline

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/must-love-dogs-grand-haven-3

Other: TicTok mustlovedogsgh

Image Credits
The photos with me in them were done by Happy Dog Mom – Jennifer Waters