The Story of 'A Closer Bond' Over the Last 25 Years
Katy Cushing, the owner of the dog training, grooming, boarding and daycare facility realized at a young age that helping dogs and their owners develop a meaningful relationship was her calling.
A Closer Bond in Palatine is a dog training, grooming, boarding and daycare facility in business since 1990 and located at 842 W. Northwest Highway.
Cushing grew up in the northwest suburbs, and was the second oldest of seven children. Every time her mother had another child, the family also got a new puppy.
As a young girl, Cushing witnessed the family dogs nipping at neighbors and stealing food off counters, along with dozens of escape attempts. Their dog Patches was particularly skilled at getting out of the house and running away, and Cushing was always the one to go chasing after him.
Cushing was around the age of 14 when Patches bit a neighborhood boy on the face. In those days, when a dog bit a child, they were taken away for a 10-day quarantine.
When Patches came back home, Cushing's mother said she was going to find a new home for him. Cushing decided she would take him out on his leash-with the goal of setting him free so he could find a new home of his own choosing.
"He got three houses down and ran back to me," Cushing said. "I realized since I was always the one chasing him, and this time I didn't play his game of chase-the tables had turned."
This is when she realized she wanted to learn all she could about dog training.
Cushing finalized her college senior thesis in 1986, and it was based on the idea of using dogs for therapy. Cushing was always fascinated at how dogs could help people to lower blood pressure, as well as opening up opportunities for conversation and relationships between dog owners.
"When I presented in front of my class, my classmates were all really engaged to learn more about this," Cushing said.
After graduating, Cushing saw an advertisement for a dog training school in Ohio, and attended the six week program starting in the fall of 1988. The director asked her to stay on as a trainer, but she wasn't ready to leave her home in the Chicago area yet.
She got hired training dogs in Chicago, and then found an opportunity where she could train dogs year round in Atlanta, Georgia. Cushing was now ready to spread her wings, and went south for an adventure.
After working for an animal hospital, Cushing founded A Closer Bond in 1990 while in Atlanta. She came back to the Palatine area in 1994, and opened the business at its current location at 842 W. Northwest Highway.
The goal at the very start, as it is now, is to help dog owners to develop a more rewarding relationship with their pet.
"We help to educate dogs and owners to live successfully together, by meeting the educational, social and physical needs of each dog we work with," Cushing said.
For more information, or to schedule a tour of A Closer Bond's facility call 847-358-7312.