Paws 'n' Tails Hydrotherapy

Paws 'n' Tails Hydrotherapy Pool was founded in 2008 on 13.5 acres on the eastern edge of Black Forest, Colorado. We are approximately 20 miles from Colorado Springs, CO. Our indoor pool is heated to a comfortable ninety degrees which benefits most dogs with various types of skeletal and muscular issues.

Mike Hasty

I grew up in Long Beach, California and lived there until I was 14. At age 14 I moved to England. I gained my high school education in England at Garth Hill School where I was a key member of both the basketball and soccer teams. Upon graduation I began working in the music industry. Working in music had been my dream for as long as I could remember. I spent 5 years at Universal Music UK, in the Licensing Department. My job was to get approval from the artists and their managers for their songs to be used on multi artist compilation albums. I enjoyed my time immensely, but the longer I spent in the corporate world, the more I realized that perhaps this was not my true calling.

While living in England my mom became very interested in canine hydrotherapy. After swimming her dogs in pools owned by other people she realized there were a lot of things that could be done differently, so she decided to get her accreditation in canine hydrotherapy and open her own pool! After spending a few years of my youth helping her out on days off or summer vacations, I had a great understanding of how beneficial canine hydrotherapy could be. When I decided to leave the music industry and move back to the States, I couldn't get the idea of having my own canine hydrotherapy pool out of my head. I bought a house with plenty of land and decided to go for it. Now I own and operate the first canine hydrotherapy pool in Black Forest and Southern Colorado, and only the second in Colorado.

I recently returned to England and achieved my accreditation in canine hydrotherapy at Hawksmoor Training Centre. Hawksmoor Training Centre is the leader in canine hydrotherapy training throughout the world. I'm very excited to be able to offer this service to the people of Colorado and look forward to meeting you and your canine companions!

Coni Fisher

After 14 years in the legal industry I married and moved to England accompained by my son, two dogs and one cat. While in England I volunteered at my vet's office full time for 3 years and also became a clicker training instructor at the Canine Film Academy in Ascot, training dogs to appear in films, tv, magazine ads and videos. I became very interested in treating my companion animals holistically, including feeding my dogs raw food, which in itself was a journey I never imagined I'd take and now can't imagine otherwise. I can't think of a better way to live with my dogs other than the way nature intended. My late dog, Sadie, was a "swamp monster" always finding the smallest dirtiest puddle and laying in it. Funnily enough this lead me to canine hydrotherapy and Hawksmoor Training Centre. Sadie loved to swim so I found a couple of pools near our property and started swimming both Ginger and Sadie three times per week just for fun. I was impressed at how much my dogs' bodies changed from swimming due to their increased muscle mass. Sadie and Ginger had more energy and were happier within themselves.

After swimming Ginger and Sadie at other pools for a couple of years I decided to investigate becoming a accredited canine hydrotherapist. I attended the first accredited canine hydrotherapy courses ever offered at Hawksmoor Training Centre and worldwide, passed and opened my own pool on my property in England. I was very successful. I was swimming 100 dogs per week with conditions ranging from cruciate ligament injuries (ACL) and strokes to weight loss. My passion in life is to help dogs achieve, maintain or restore a quality of life they can happily live with. It was reported to me by many, many dog guardians that hydrotherapy "gave them their dog back." Statements like that improve my life ten fold.

I left England after 10 years and moved to Black Forest, CO leaving many happy dogs and their guardians behind. I will never forget those dogs, ever. I spent the first few years getting acquainted with Colorado and all it has to offer all the while truly missing being able to improve the quality of life for dogs through swimming. Thanks to Mike Hasty and his love of dogs I am swimming dogs again, part-time, at his facility, Paws 'n' Tails Hydrotherapy Pool located in Black Forest. Many clients have said to me that I have the best job in the world. My reply is always the same: this isn't a "job" for me, I do it because I love dogs and I know hydrotherapy can improve their quality of life.

Our Facility:

Built in 2008, our large indoor facility allows us to fully take care of your companion. The pool is equipped with a ramp, so even the most timid dogs get the chance to be introduced to the joys of canine hydrotherapy. Once the swim session is complete we will rinse (shampoo upon request) and blow dry your dog. Either Mike or Coni is in the water with your companion at all times. All dogs wear a life jacket until we decide they are strong enough to swim without one. This is for the benefit of your companion.