Jessica Washenfelder grew up near Chicago in a house where dogs were just as welcome — if not more welcome — than humans.

“Dogs were always a part of the family, and we would treat them like family,” Washenfelder said. 

Washenfelder eventually found her way out of the Midwest and to Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, where she picked up a career as a nurse and got two dogs of her own, Rhoda and Ranger.

Despite liking her profession, the hours it demanded were tough. Washenfelder had aspirations of becoming a mother, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to continue working those hours while raising kids. 

She decided it was time to leave nursing when she became pregnant in 2023 and started brainstorming her next career move. Around that time, a storefront opened on Ski Hill Road, so she ended up securing it but didn’t have a concrete business plan.

A trip to Texas to visit her husband’s family changed that. She came back from that trip with a pretty good idea of what to do with her new spot.

She visited a relative’s dog shop called Pippa’s Closet while on the trip, and Washenfelder wanted to recreate the concept in Breckenridge. So, she did.

Now you can find Washenfelder and her only employee, her 7-month-old daughter Mia, on Ski Hill Road at the Bark’nridge Boutique, which opened on Jan. 14. 

Bark’nridge has everything from gourmet dog cookies to toys to doggy rain jackets and of course, Mia. Washenfelder said Mia has been instrumental on the sales side of things for the few months that the spot has been open. Despite not yet being able to talk, Mia brings the unique skill of demonstrating how the spot’s toys work. 

Washenfelder taps into the dog-loving town of Breckenridge with her business, which has a particular Colorado flare to it. Some of her favorites in her inventory includes handmade collars that feature different Colorado mountains and The Enchanted Biscuit’s luscious liver treats, which are made in Breckenridge. 

She said that she stocks the shelves with high quality items that she would want to give her dogs, and she is always open to recommendations for what people would like to see on the store’s shelves.

Washenfelder said they fully embrace the concept of spoiling dogs at Bark’nridge. She admitted that she’s long spoiled her two 90-pound dogs, Rhoda and Ranger.

“I make my dog food. I make them birthday cakes. I fully spoil them,” Washenfelder said.

“They have such a shortened life compared to ours. … You want to make sure that they have the best life possible,” she added. 

Bark’nridge is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays to Sundays, but the schedule changes seasonally. To stay up to date on hours, go to Bark’nridge’s Instagram page Instagram.com/barknridge_boutique/.

Bark’nrudge is located at 105 Ski Hill Road.