Empowering Pet Parents
Cyndi Smasal:
2.0 Doggie Mama, Author, Integrative Canine Specialist, Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Dog Food Geek, Jackson’s Mom, Gen X Computer Nerd.
My journey from a tech-savvy computer geek to a passionate dog advocate has been filled with learning, growth, and a deep commitment to the well-being of our canine companions. Here’s my story…
Young Gen X Computer Geek
I didn’t set out to be a dog person. I started out as a computer geek. I had my first computer at 16 in 1985. That was my first passion. (Having a computer at 16 years old was young back then 🙂
I was ahead of my time, running a BBS (Bulletin Board System) with four phone lines and modems, and serving as President of a local computer user group. Being a woman in the computer world was not common, and I even had an article written about me for my unique role.
All In... Techie
When I get into something…I go all in. I didn’t just learn how to use a computer; I even learned how to build my own PC in my first computer job as a computer technician. I’m sure I was hired because I was a woman, as I certainly didn’t know anything about PCs at the time. But I love learning new things, so I became a techie.
In college, I chose the challenging path of Computer Science, despite my struggles with math. It took me 10 years, but I graduated with a BS in Computer Science in 1996.
Learning the Art of Troubleshooting
My second computer job during college was at a modem company called Datarace. There, I became a modem tester and honed my skills in finding software bugs and troubleshooting software and hardware errors. I learned how to communicate these issues to engineers so they could reproduce and fix the problems.
I got really good at breaking software, which is exactly what a good software quality engineer (tester) does. We find the bugs so users don’t end up with a faulty product.
When I graduated, I was highly sought after because of my experience and skills in software testing. Most people with computer degrees were programmers, not testers. I preferred breaking software over writing it. I used my programming skills to write automation programs that tested software and found bugs faster than manual testing.
Through my education and work as a software quality engineer, I mastered the scientific method for solving computer problems.
The Turning Point: Norman
By 2001, I had 10 years of experience and was at the top of my field, working in high-tech Austin with a Dot.com company that eventually bombed. But finding work was easy for me; I was in a high-demand field with experience. However, with that kind of job, I worked long hours and was committed to my work. I commuted an hour each way to and from work and put in 8-10 hour days in the office.
That didn’t leave much time for me and my first dog, Norman, my Cocker Spaniel. I lived in Wimberley, Texas, which is located between San Antonio, San Marcos, and Austin. With my long work hours and the distance from San Antonio where my veterinarian was located, I didn’t keep up with regular trips to the vet. Norman had developed arthritis a few years before I moved to Wimberley, so I would get refills for his pain meds, heartworm, and flea prevention, and that was about it.
Thanksgiving of 2001, I was worried that Norman might have cancer because he had a lump on his side. So I took him to the vet, and he said it was just a fatty deposit. Since I hadn’t taken Norman to the vet regularly, we decided it was time for some maintenance. He got his teeth cleaned, vaccinated, and all the heartworm and flea medications (all at the same time).
All I knew about taking care of a dog was to feed them good food (Hills Science Diet) and take them to the vet for dental care, vaccinations, and flea and heartworm meds. That was it.
Did that make you cringe?
In 2024, if you know anything about modern pet parenting (ways of taking care of a dog), you are probably cringing.
Yep, I cringed as I wrote it.
And you can probably anticipate what comes next. Kinda like watching a horror movie where you know that person is going to get killed.
Back to my story.
It’s just after New Year in 2002 and Norman is acting sick. I take him in to see the Vet and he does lab work and comes back and tells me that Norman has liver disease.
WHAT! After several more tests and visits to the vet, he told me that there was nothing that could be done. He had cirrhosis and would probably only live a month. He told me to go home and be with my dog.
I’ll never forget that day. It’s burned into my memory.
That was the turning point in my life.
Before that day, my life had been about computers and my job.
After that day, my life became focused on debugging my beloved dog Norman.
I felt responsible and guilty for his illness, and I wasn’t going to just sit around and wait for him to die.
Everything that I had learned about testing and debugging software kicked in as I started researching everything about liver disease and what I could do for Norman.
I was ALL IN!
I ditched my stressful high-tech computer job in Austin and learned new skills to become a certified Life and Business Coach. This allowed me to work from home and focus on taking care of Norman.
The rest, as they say, is history. Starting with my dedication to Norman, I’ve spent the last 2 decades “ALL IN” as a dog person.
Embracing My Passion
Today, I proudly wear many hats: a dog food geek, a modern 2.0 doggie mama, and Jackson’s devoted mom and companion. My passion led me to write books, starting with my book about healing Norman from liver disease. This year, I published a completely revised 20th-anniversary edition. Writing turned into researching and learning more about dog health, nutrition, training, and even pet communication. As the Chief Dog Lover at my own business, Pawtastic Pet Solutions, I’ve combined all these skills. Now, I call myself an Integrative Pet Specialist, dedicated to spreading awareness and educating pet parents about holistic care so that every dog lives a happy, healthy life.
