What Pet Indies Stress-Dream About — Part 2

Last week we shared the first round of answers to this question we posed to the PETS+ Brain Squad: “What is your go-to stress dream about work? What happens in it?” This part two of the two-part series includes more relatable, terrifying or hilarious responses, plus claims of not stress-dreaming at all! What’s that like?

The POS system crashes on our busiest day of the year! Tamie Waugh, Cobber’s Pet Pantry, Enumclaw, WA

Either forgetting an order or ordering too much and pallets and pallets show up. Giant pallets of just all of it. Kathleen Vandermoss, All Natural Pet Supply, Vancouver, WA

I show up at the store and all the cages are empty and the grooming animals are going crazy and cats are climbing all around and the register is not opening and customers are lining up while we’re trying to herd everyone. Jeff & Penny Frazier, Earthwise Pet, Seabrook, NH

My stress dream is losing all of the data in our computer system, and we have to go based on memory with feeding/medicating dogs. Jennifer Hall, All Things Pawssible, Charlottesville, VA

Finding a reliable employee! Denise Strong, Pawz On Main, Cottonwood, AZ

It’s been 20 years, but I do still have server stress dreams (restaurant) where I can’t get to all my tables. Adina Silberstein, Queenie’s Pets, Philadelphia, PA

The most complicated cake order got missed and now the customer is waiting as she’s on her way out of town. A nightmare, for sure. Alexis Quiroga, PAWsitively Sweet Bakery, San Antonio, TX

My go-to stress dream is about bills. Amy Kenkel, Leaps & Bones, South Windsor, CT

I came into work, but everyone was playing cards. Molly Taylor, Molly’s Mutt House, Houston, TX

When I’m stressed, I still have my old waitressing dreams where I can’t ever seem to get the drinks out to the table! Jennifer Silverberg, Fetch Pet Supplies, Springfield, MO

I forget to submit my orders on time — this happens in real life too. Dorothy Evans, Bushwick Bark, Brooklyn, NY

Having days with zero sales and going into extreme debt to keep the store going. Dana Julian, Furbaby Boutique, Holly, MI

Did I lock the doors? I am constantly checking multiple times when I close and leave work. Or did I remember to tell an owner something (if grooming related)? Nicoll Vincent, For K-9s & Felines, Westfield, MA

I can only recall one dream about work: My entire store was empty and my manager and groomers were acting as if nothing was wrong. Cynthia McKinney, Loyl’s Natural Pet, Houston, TX

Phones do not stop ringing. Elaina Starman, 5 Star Animal Hospital, Larkspur, CO

Forgetting to pay all of my bills or wondering how I will pay all of my bills. Samantha Youngblood, Youngblood’s Natural Animal Care Center and Massage, Wilkinson, IN

I stress-dream about not having a successful weekend, that it is raining or snowing and we don’t have any customers. Karen Komisar, Sea Dog Pet Boutique, Annapolis, MD

I’m late and can’t get a ride to work. Taylor England, Earthwise Pet Lake Nona, Orlando, FL

No go-to dream (thankfully), but rather it’s always relative to whatever stressful event I am dealing with at the time! Cassie Nilsson, The Mill Stores, Whiteford, MD

And these pet business owners say they don’t have stress dreams. (We wonder if they just don’t remember them.)

Crazy, but I don’t have one. I am honored to have a great team that understands our mission and vision fully and do what they can to help our community grow. Lisa Kirschner, Sit, Stay, ‘N Play, Inc., Stroudsburg, PA

No need to dream — when I get stressed, I put a “Back in 15 Minutes” sign on my door and take a walk to the beach. It doesn’t get better than that! Maria Cetrola, Buddy’s Pet Stop, Barnegat, NJ

Fortunately I don’t really have any. Maybe staffing issues when they arise, but then they are done and over once the issue is resolved. Maybe in my old corporate jobs, but not in this life. Jennifer Larsen, Firehouse Pet Shop, Wenatchee, WA

I still have stress dreams about missing class in college! None about work… so far. Stephanie Garza, Pup Pup & Away, San Antonio, TX

We escape to the back office to breathe. Jusak Yang Bernhard, Wag Heaven Pet Supplies and Dog Wash, Georgetown, TX

Oddly enough, I do not have bad or stress dreams about work. I do more consciously worry about customers blaming me for bad recommendations for their pets. Shelly Nicastro, Essex Bird & Pet Supply, Essex, MA

I barely sleep. Jennifer Pastorini, Dusty’s Den, Sonora, CA

Fortunately, my vivid imagination does not seem to include work-related stress dreams! It saves that for daydreaming instead. Katherine Ostiguy, Crossbones, Providence, RI

I literally have never had a stress dream about work. I am so thankful for that — we love our business. Pamela Cura, Paw Prints, Intercourse, PA

My employees stress me out the most, but fortunately I don’t dream about them. I actually don’t have many dreams at all about work … thank goodness! Janet Cesarini, Pupology, Georgetown, TX

I don’t stress about work. I mean after all, we are just selling pet supplies. Rachel McGinnis, Leo & Lucky’s, Parrish, FL

I never sleep enough to dream. April Meier, Pawsitively Scrumptious, Crestview, FL