For Rocky Mountain Happy Paws owner Shelly Pinnt, the results of the 2025 Craig Business Plan Competition marked both a milestone and a new beginning.

Pinnt won the existing business category, earning $25,000 to expand her Craig-based pet supply and training center. The award capped months of work that she shared with June O’Neill, a longtime client and friend, who helped her navigate the detail-oriented process of writing and refining her business plan for the competition.

Ironically, it was a Craig Daily Press article printed over the summer that led O’Neill to pitch participating in the competition to Pinnt.

“It was that article that made me think that Shelly should apply,” O’Neill said. “I saw that she had real goals for the business, and when I read about her long-term plans, I knew she could absolutely do this.”

O’Neill, who works in nonprofit management, offered to help Pinnt develop the financial and analytical side of the plan while Pinnt focused on the animal-centered vision that has shaped her life’s work. Together, the two spent nearly two months researching market data, calculating projections and preparing a presentation for the judges.

“I don’t know how to do dogs, but I know how to write a business plan,” O’Neill joked. “And, Shelly knows dogs better than anyone I’ve ever met.”

Building a plan and a friendship

The collaboration grew naturally out of the friendship they’d formed years earlier through O’Neill’s own dogs. When O’Neill began helping Pinnt transport dogs and food between Craig and Steamboat Springs, she started to see how significant the local demand for pet services had become.

“It just made sense,” O’Neill said. “She was already doing transport, boarding, training, selling food and offering advice. It’s a holistic business. You can’t find another one like it anywhere between here and Meeker.”

Pinnt said that the competition gave her the mental space and motivation that she needed to think long-term.

“The hardest part for me has always been the books,” she said. “I’m a hands-on worker. June came in and said, ‘We’ve got this.’ She kept me focused.”

Both women credit Scot Mitchell of the Small Business Development Center for helping them shape their proposal throughout the majority of the competition.
The SBDC offers free coaching to participants and guides them through business modeling, financials and market research.

“He was spectacular,” O’Neill said. “He looked at every version of our plan, made sure our numbers were realistic, and kept us focused on the local picture. It was a great process.”

A new phase for Happy Paws

For Pinnt, the competition was about more than funding for Rocky Mountain Happy Paws — it was about solidifying the next steps for her dreams. The plan that she and O’Neill developed centers on adding grooming and dayboarding services to her current location by January 2026, along with making necessary updates to the facility in order to obtain the proper PACFA licensing required by the state.

“People will be able to get everything they need for their dog in one place,” Pinnt said. “You can buy food, board your dog, drop them off for grooming and even leave them for a few hours if you have an appointment. It’s all in one spot, and no one else around here offers that.”

Construction and licensing preparations will involve remodeling the space to be waterproof and compliant with PACFA inspection standards. Once the upgrades are complete, Happy Paws will begin offering both grooming and dayboarding under the same roof as its retail store located in Suite 121 at 1111 W. Victory Way.

“The grooming will probably be the biggest part of it,” Pinnt said. “That’s something people really need. It’s hard to even get an appointment around here.”

Learning through the process

According to Shannon Scott, the City of Craig’s Economic Development Manager, Pinnt’s proposal stood out for its focus, completeness and clear community benefit.

“She already has a loyal customer base and provides a service that’s in high demand,” Scott said. “What impressed the judges was how she was expanding to meet that demand while creating local jobs. You can tell she’s passionate and committed.”

Scott noted that this year’s competition drew a record 11 participants, with many using SBDC coaching for the first time. “We’re seeing real growth,” she said. “People are already asking about next year’s event.”

For Scott, the competition is “about giving small businesses a chance to build something lasting.”

Even if they don’t win, they walk away with a full business plan they can take to a lender,” she said. “That’s real value.”

From ranch roots to community impact

Pinnt’s journey with animals began long before Happy Paws opened its doors. Raised on a ranch outside Craig, she found early purpose in the companionship of horses and dogs. After returning home in 2020 to care for her parents, she decided to turn her love of animals into a career.

“That one dog is what started my kennel at my mom and dad’s,” she recalled. “I started training dogs from here to Steamboat and it just kept growing.”

Over time, Happy Paws evolved from a small boarding and training business into a trusted hub for pet care and personal growth. Pinnt’s philosophy, which is rooted in empathy and understanding, is as much for pet owners as it is for dogs.

“I’m not a textbook trainer,” she said. “Every dog and every person is different. It’s not just about teaching the dog, it’s about helping the person feel capable too.”

That approach has made Pinnt a central figure in the local 4-H dog program, where she’s helped raise thousands of dollars for youth agility training. She also donates time to local schools, law enforcement and community organizations across Moffat County.

“Craig has always supported me,” Pinnt said. “Every time I’ve asked for help, they’ve shown up. That means everything.”

Looking ahead

Pinnt plans to use the next year to complete the Happy Paws expansion, train staff and prepare for the eventual purchase of a larger facility. But for now, she’s focused on growing within her current location while continuing to build the family-oriented atmosphere that has defined Happy Paws since the beginning.

“This is my home,” she said. “I’ve been asked to open a store in Steamboat, but my heart’s here. My whole retirement, my legacy, it’s right here in Craig.”

For more information on Rocky Mountain Happy Paws, visit RockyMountainHappyPaws.com.