About...
Susan
Susan with one of our clients, Indy
Born in New Jersey, Susan Graff spent six years in the production side of the fashion industry after earning her BA at Rowan University (Glassboro State College). Needing a change of scenery (and to escape the cold weather), she relocated to northern California and earned an MA from Santa Clara University in Special Education.
After one last relocation back east to North Carolina, and after 13 years of service as a public school teacher, Susan Graff decided it was time for a change. She enjoyed being a teacher and being around children, but wanted a bit more flexibility in her schedule and the ability to spend more time with her own furbabies, Snickers, Barney and Calvin.
After working at a dog daycare one summer, Susan found that she really liked working with dogs. She enjoyed being a caregiver, so she decided to make it her business to give her clients the personal attention every animal deserves while their owner is away, whether it is for the day or for a week or more.
Susan started her own business, A Whole Lotta Love Dog Walking and Pet Services, in 2009. She worked part-time caring for animals in the mornings, evenings and weekends while teaching middle school full-time.
After a successful first year, she decided to leave teaching to pursue her dream full-time.
In 2011, Susan hired her first employee and now the AWLL team has expanded.
When Susan is not caring for animals, she is writing about them! She writes a monthly newsletter for AWLL featuring articles about pet care. She likes to write about new pet gadgets and products she discovers “in the field” as well writing about her clients.
Susan enjoys baking homemade treats for our dog and cat clients.
She wrote a regular column in Heart2Home Magazine, Tails in the Kitchen, which included recipes for dog and cat treats.
After one last relocation back east to North Carolina, and after 13 years of service as a public school teacher, Susan Graff decided it was time for a change. She enjoyed being a teacher and being around children, but wanted a bit more flexibility in her schedule and the ability to spend more time with her own furbabies, Snickers, Barney and Calvin.
After working at a dog daycare one summer, Susan found that she really liked working with dogs. She enjoyed being a caregiver, so she decided to make it her business to give her clients the personal attention every animal deserves while their owner is away, whether it is for the day or for a week or more.
Susan started her own business, A Whole Lotta Love Dog Walking and Pet Services, in 2009. She worked part-time caring for animals in the mornings, evenings and weekends while teaching middle school full-time.
After a successful first year, she decided to leave teaching to pursue her dream full-time.
In 2011, Susan hired her first employee and now the AWLL team has expanded.
When Susan is not caring for animals, she is writing about them! She writes a monthly newsletter for AWLL featuring articles about pet care. She likes to write about new pet gadgets and products she discovers “in the field” as well writing about her clients.
Susan enjoys baking homemade treats for our dog and cat clients.
She wrote a regular column in Heart2Home Magazine, Tails in the Kitchen, which included recipes for dog and cat treats.
Steve is holding one of our dogs, Calvin.
Steve
Steve is a lifelong animal lover. And one thing is for sure...animals LOVE Steve! Steve volunteered for Durham’s Animal Protection Society (APS) where he was named “Volunteer of the Month”. He also volunteered for the Coalition to Unchain Dogs for a three day Fence-a-Thon, helping build fences for over 50 chained dogs in Durham.
Professionally, Steve is back working for Apple, Inc. where he worked for ten years in California before he and Susan packed up and moved to Durham in 2005.
Steve is also involved in the community, having served on the board of the Old North Durham Neighborhood Association as both President and Safety Chair, as well as being active in Partners Against Crime, District 2.
Steve is a lifelong animal lover. And one thing is for sure...animals LOVE Steve! Steve volunteered for Durham’s Animal Protection Society (APS) where he was named “Volunteer of the Month”. He also volunteered for the Coalition to Unchain Dogs for a three day Fence-a-Thon, helping build fences for over 50 chained dogs in Durham.
Professionally, Steve is back working for Apple, Inc. where he worked for ten years in California before he and Susan packed up and moved to Durham in 2005.
Steve is also involved in the community, having served on the board of the Old North Durham Neighborhood Association as both President and Safety Chair, as well as being active in Partners Against Crime, District 2.
Our Employees
We realize that clients want someone they can trust, inside their home and with their precious cargo, their pets. So we make sure to hire only the best people. All of our dog walkers and pet sitters are bonded and insured and undergo a thorough background check and training before hiring. You can find out more about some of our amazing pet sitters below.
Destiny and Kira’s at AWLL’s spring “Meet the Sitters” event.
Barbara
Barbara Wendel is A Whole Lotta Love’s book keeper and a lifelong dog lover. She was raised in Coldwater, Michigan and lived there until she moved to North Carolina in 1995. Barbara attended Kellogg Community College and Western Michigan University where she studied accounting.
Besides AWLL, Barbara is also employed by iEntertainment Network, Inc. an online gaming company and with Batteries Plus Bulbs.
Barbara always had dogs when she was growing up. She had a boxer named Tuffy and two Dalmatians names Bess and Maggie. Currently she resides with a white boxer named Cami who joins her in her photo. Barbara inherited Cami from her daughter when she moved to Colorado.
In her spare time, Barbara enjoys reading, baking and gardening. We are excited to have Barbara as part of our team!
Barbara Wendel is A Whole Lotta Love’s book keeper and a lifelong dog lover. She was raised in Coldwater, Michigan and lived there until she moved to North Carolina in 1995. Barbara attended Kellogg Community College and Western Michigan University where she studied accounting.
Besides AWLL, Barbara is also employed by iEntertainment Network, Inc. an online gaming company and with Batteries Plus Bulbs.
Barbara always had dogs when she was growing up. She had a boxer named Tuffy and two Dalmatians names Bess and Maggie. Currently she resides with a white boxer named Cami who joins her in her photo. Barbara inherited Cami from her daughter when she moved to Colorado.
In her spare time, Barbara enjoys reading, baking and gardening. We are excited to have Barbara as part of our team!
Destini walks Marco
Destiny
A Whole Lotta Love’s dog walker and pet sitter, Destiny Freshwater, comes to us from Parkersburg, WV. “It is the only place I have ever lived before moving to Durham three months ago!” She attended West Virginia University where she studied English and education. Destiny has volunteered at the Humane Society of Parkersburg as well as the Humane Society of the Ohio Valley.
Her love for animals is evident and started at an early age. “My family has always had cats,“ Destiny explains. “When I was born, we had Twinkles (short-haired orange tabby) and Patches (long-haired calico). But, the first real pet of my own was a main coon named Thomas. I had various small pets along the way growing up--fish, hermit crabs, a turtle.”
Currently Destiny lives with a short-haired dilute calico named Celty and a maine coon named Olive. “I have another short-haired dilute calico, Belle, though she is back home with my mom in WV to keep her from having an empty nest!”
When asked if she has a favorite AWLL client yet she responded, “Since I’m a cat lover at heart, I really enjoyed my time with a beautiful orange calico cat named Weasel. The first time I met him, he was a little shy and skittish. The second time I visited, he seemed very excited to have some company, meowing and rubbing against me for attention and eager to play with his toys. It’s always nice to see animals warm up to people.”
Destiny loves being able to spend time with the animals so being a pet sitter/dog walker is the perfect position for her! “I’ve never been able to have a dog and my boyfriend won’t let me live out my dream of being a crazy cat lady (plus we’ve already reached our apartment’s two pet limit), so it’s great being able to live vicariously with other people’s pets.”
When Destiny isn’t spending time with animals, she likes to play video games, sketch, write, and go to comic conventions.
Testimonials about Destiny:
"We were out of town for the weekend, so Destiny stayed with our two dogs overnight, as well as did the dinner feeding. Kira did the mid-day walks. Maxx and Sammie are happy when we get home, which is all we can ask for! The sitters leave treats for the dogs on the last visit, and Maxx and Sammie love them! Thank you Destiny and Kira for taking such good care of our babies!" Anne C., May 2017
"Destiny completed an evening visit for us, as we were out. Maxx and Sammie enjoyed her as they did on the first visit. We loved the pictures she took!" Anne C., Oct. 2016
"I was extremely satisfied with the timeliness and detail of the messages from Destiny. I felt like Gracie was in good hands. Thank you!" Lisa K., Sept. 2016
Kira
Kira Gleason is one of our fantastic dog walkers/pet sitters. Originally from Pennsylvania, Kira has lived in Maryland and Washington State before moving to North Carolina. Kira attended Coppin State University in Maryland on a softball scholarship where she studied sports management. Before starting at A Whole Lotta Love, Kira was a stay-at-home mom to her son, Jaden.
Kira’s life has always included animals. She has had an eclectic collection of canines.
Jazmine was a Chihuahua/Cocker Spaniel, Thunder and Lightning was a German Shepherd, Boomer was a Labrador Retriever, Dusty was a Golden Retriever, Odie was a Doberman/Rottweiler mix, Tulla was a Lab/Pit/Border Collie mix and now she has Ace!
Kira also has had a cat named Tony, a guinea pig named October and a lot of fish!
“I've been around and worked with many different animals for as long as I can remember. I love them all like they are my own!”
Kira was a groomer’s assistant at Petco where she bathed, blow dried and brushed out dogs as well as clipped their nails,
“Currently I have one dog named Ace. He is an American Staffordshire Terrier and he's my second son!”
When asked what she likes best about dog walking/pet sitting, Kira answered, “I just enjoy being with all animals and to help love them when needed!” She added, “it is also a plus that my “office” is our beautiful world!”
In her spare time she likes exploring anything and everything!
In addition to dog walking and pet sitting, Kira also assists on the administrative side of the AWLL business. She is an asset to A Whole Lotta Love and we are proud to have her as part of our team!
Testimonials about Kira:
"We were out of town for the weekend, so Destiny stayed with our two dogs overnight, as well as did the dinner feeding. Kira did the mid-day walks. Maxx and Sammie are happy when we get home, which is all we can ask for! The sitters leave treats for the dogs on the last visit, and Maxx and Sammie love them! Thank you Destiny and Kira for taking such good care of our babies!" Anne C., May 2017
Kira Gleason is one of our fantastic dog walkers/pet sitters. Originally from Pennsylvania, Kira has lived in Maryland and Washington State before moving to North Carolina. Kira attended Coppin State University in Maryland on a softball scholarship where she studied sports management. Before starting at A Whole Lotta Love, Kira was a stay-at-home mom to her son, Jaden.
Kira’s life has always included animals. She has had an eclectic collection of canines.
Jazmine was a Chihuahua/Cocker Spaniel, Thunder and Lightning was a German Shepherd, Boomer was a Labrador Retriever, Dusty was a Golden Retriever, Odie was a Doberman/Rottweiler mix, Tulla was a Lab/Pit/Border Collie mix and now she has Ace!
Kira also has had a cat named Tony, a guinea pig named October and a lot of fish!
“I've been around and worked with many different animals for as long as I can remember. I love them all like they are my own!”
Kira was a groomer’s assistant at Petco where she bathed, blow dried and brushed out dogs as well as clipped their nails,
“Currently I have one dog named Ace. He is an American Staffordshire Terrier and he's my second son!”
When asked what she likes best about dog walking/pet sitting, Kira answered, “I just enjoy being with all animals and to help love them when needed!” She added, “it is also a plus that my “office” is our beautiful world!”
In her spare time she likes exploring anything and everything!
In addition to dog walking and pet sitting, Kira also assists on the administrative side of the AWLL business. She is an asset to A Whole Lotta Love and we are proud to have her as part of our team!
Testimonials about Kira:
"We were out of town for the weekend, so Destiny stayed with our two dogs overnight, as well as did the dinner feeding. Kira did the mid-day walks. Maxx and Sammie are happy when we get home, which is all we can ask for! The sitters leave treats for the dogs on the last visit, and Maxx and Sammie love them! Thank you Destiny and Kira for taking such good care of our babies!" Anne C., May 2017
Whitney cuddles with her dog Duchess
Whitney
Originally from Sacramento, California, Whitney Lamb, has been surrounded by animals her entire life. She has lived in Louisiana, Florida and even on a Caribbean island when she was studying abroad before taking up residence in North Carolina.
Whitney graduated from Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, LA where she studied animal science with a pre-vet concentration. Whitney just finished her Masters degree in public health with a concentration in epidemiology. And she has plans to go to veterinary school and work in veterinary public health.
“I had a lot of pets growing up, including dogs, guinea pigs, parakeets, fish, rabbits and hamsters,” Whitney begins. “I currently have a cockapoo named Dutchess. I rescued her when she was nine months old when I lived in Florida. She is my baby and if I could take her everywhere with me, I would!” Whitney adds, “Dutchess often gets mistaken for being Bo Obama, although she is smaller.”
Whitney is a very busy lady. When she is not taking care of our clients’ pets or her own, she works as a vet technician at Cornwallis Road Animal Hospital. She also volunteers at the SPCA of Wake County.
“At the SPCA I help take care of and socialize ‘pocket pets’ and administer medication to the dogs and cats housed at the adoption center.”
Whitney has been a member of the AWLL family since 2013. When asked what she likes best about pet sitting and dog walking, Whitney said, “I love to interact with animals. Learning about their personalities and what they do and do not like is of great interest to me. I love observing animals in their element and making them feel comfortable in any way possible.”
Whitney loves to watch college football, soccer and cheerleading competitions. And actually was a competitive cheerleader for almost 10 years! She loves playing with her dog, her sister’s dog as well as spend time outdoors. Reading, singing and spending time with friends and family (especially her nephews) are among some of her favorite activities as well.
Whitney concludes, “It never fails. No matter what kind of day I may be having, the greeting and love I receive from our clients’ furbabies makes everything better!”
Originally from Sacramento, California, Whitney Lamb, has been surrounded by animals her entire life. She has lived in Louisiana, Florida and even on a Caribbean island when she was studying abroad before taking up residence in North Carolina.
Whitney graduated from Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, LA where she studied animal science with a pre-vet concentration. Whitney just finished her Masters degree in public health with a concentration in epidemiology. And she has plans to go to veterinary school and work in veterinary public health.
“I had a lot of pets growing up, including dogs, guinea pigs, parakeets, fish, rabbits and hamsters,” Whitney begins. “I currently have a cockapoo named Dutchess. I rescued her when she was nine months old when I lived in Florida. She is my baby and if I could take her everywhere with me, I would!” Whitney adds, “Dutchess often gets mistaken for being Bo Obama, although she is smaller.”
Whitney is a very busy lady. When she is not taking care of our clients’ pets or her own, she works as a vet technician at Cornwallis Road Animal Hospital. She also volunteers at the SPCA of Wake County.
“At the SPCA I help take care of and socialize ‘pocket pets’ and administer medication to the dogs and cats housed at the adoption center.”
Whitney has been a member of the AWLL family since 2013. When asked what she likes best about pet sitting and dog walking, Whitney said, “I love to interact with animals. Learning about their personalities and what they do and do not like is of great interest to me. I love observing animals in their element and making them feel comfortable in any way possible.”
Whitney loves to watch college football, soccer and cheerleading competitions. And actually was a competitive cheerleader for almost 10 years! She loves playing with her dog, her sister’s dog as well as spend time outdoors. Reading, singing and spending time with friends and family (especially her nephews) are among some of her favorite activities as well.
Whitney concludes, “It never fails. No matter what kind of day I may be having, the greeting and love I receive from our clients’ furbabies makes everything better!”
Linwood
Linwood Hester was born and raised in the Bull City. He attended Northern High School and has an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration from Rutledge College. He has professionally been a part of post press production experience in the newspaper industry and has experience in furniture building and restoration.
Linwood has surrounded himself with animals his entire life! Growing up, he started out with crayfish and then moved up to turtles and frogs. He has had rabbits, hamsters, dogs, cats, birds and fish. At the present moment Linwood has eight fish tanks, both salt and fresh water, the largest being a 75 gallon tank. Freshwater fish are mostly Amazon basin type fish like angels and Rummy Nose.
Linwood loves dogs almost as much as he loves fish! He has eight dogs; six poodles, one Yorkie and one German Shepherd. The poodles’ names are: Ruby, Louie, June, Rudy, Slow Poke and Bebe. The Yorkie's name is Charlie and the German Shepherd's name is Mikayla. Linwood has taken part in the delivery of toy poodle pups and have bred freshwater angelfish. He can groom toy poodles from head to tail (cuts, baths, blowouts, nails, etc.).
When I asked Linwood what his favorite part of being a dog walker/pet sitter at AWLL he answered, “I enjoy meeting with the different dogs and their personality. I love being outside and spending time with our furry friends.“ Linwood has many hobbies. Some of them include: coins, stamps, records and antiquing just to mention a few. He loves spending time outside. As far as sports is concerned, he enjoys all motorsports.
Linwood Hester was born and raised in the Bull City. He attended Northern High School and has an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration from Rutledge College. He has professionally been a part of post press production experience in the newspaper industry and has experience in furniture building and restoration.
Linwood has surrounded himself with animals his entire life! Growing up, he started out with crayfish and then moved up to turtles and frogs. He has had rabbits, hamsters, dogs, cats, birds and fish. At the present moment Linwood has eight fish tanks, both salt and fresh water, the largest being a 75 gallon tank. Freshwater fish are mostly Amazon basin type fish like angels and Rummy Nose.
Linwood loves dogs almost as much as he loves fish! He has eight dogs; six poodles, one Yorkie and one German Shepherd. The poodles’ names are: Ruby, Louie, June, Rudy, Slow Poke and Bebe. The Yorkie's name is Charlie and the German Shepherd's name is Mikayla. Linwood has taken part in the delivery of toy poodle pups and have bred freshwater angelfish. He can groom toy poodles from head to tail (cuts, baths, blowouts, nails, etc.).
When I asked Linwood what his favorite part of being a dog walker/pet sitter at AWLL he answered, “I enjoy meeting with the different dogs and their personality. I love being outside and spending time with our furry friends.“ Linwood has many hobbies. Some of them include: coins, stamps, records and antiquing just to mention a few. He loves spending time outside. As far as sports is concerned, he enjoys all motorsports.
