BOARD of DIRECTORS

James ‘Pat’ Mahon, Director

Pat is a dedicated member of the Houston community, having spent decades as a businessman and local charity supporter.  In the years he spent as a General Manager with Clayton Homes, he had the opportunity to touch the lives of many families in our area, and help them achieve their dream of home ownership while still maintaining financial security.

As a business owner (Barks 5th Avenue), he continues that tradition by treating every client’s pet as if it were his own.  This servant attitude has helped him in leading the DAWG Foundation in the proper direction; assisting those who have sacrificed so much for our freedom and security.

When not working on DAWG Foundation business, Pat can be found developing the team at Barks 5th Avenue on FM-1960.

Pennie Mahon-Founder, Lead Trainer, Owner Barks 5th Ave

 Pennie Mahon’s passion for animals started in her youth.  She was first introduced to the world of animal training at the age of eleven, when she trained her first dog through her local 4-H club. This experience marked the beginning of a lifetime spent exploring and connecting with animals. She has successfully trained, competed and titled in elite level competition with her horses in multiple disciplines and her dogs in Disc, Dock Diving, Herding and Obedience. As a Certified Disc Dog Judge she enjoys traveling internationally to judge competitions and to share her passion teaching Disc Dog clinics.

Pennie has become a world-renowned Disc Dog competitor.  She began this pursuit in 2001, and in 2012 she and her dog Psych received the ultimate honor when they were crowned the Hyperflite Skyhoundz Disc Dog World Champions. Pennie and Psych have finished in top ranked placement at the Ashley Whippet Invitational, UFO World Cup, and USDNN World Finals. This polished duo along with the rest of her pack, Disc-Functional K-9’s, are often the highlight at NFL, NBA college half time shows and many events within the community.

 Her ability to communicate with animals shines with her personal accomplishments. It also contributes to the success of the her business, Barks 5th Avenue; a premier family owned and operated pet care facility and retail hotspot in Houston, Texas.  Pennie takes great care to address the needs of her canine students by taking a holistic approach to training, socialization, proper nutrition and nurturing the Whole Dog-Human relationship.  Pennie’s ability to assess an owner’s needs and address existing and potential issues with a dog’s behavior are unparalleled. She implements operate conditioning, believing that dogs learn through balanced consequences both positive and negative.  Dogs in training receive a program tailored to their temperament, owner’s goals and of course budget. Clients are not just taught how to give a command, they are taught to focus on relationship building with their dog. Pennie regularly attends training seminars and stays update on current research in an effort to continually expand her knowledge pool. She is currently KPCT (Karen Pryor Clicker Training) certified. This is only part of what makes Pennie’s training so successful and highly sought after. Her dedication to community and charity has allowed many people to experience the human-canine connection first hand, she truly does “change peoples lives 1 dog at a time”.

Jeremy Mahon, Veteran Liaison, Owner 4oz Fight Club
(United States Marine Corps 1999-2003)

  Jeremy Mahon is a proud Iraq War Veteran, husband, and father of two who lives with PSTD. Jeremy dutifully served in the Marine Corps from 1999-2003 as an infantryman with the 1^st Battalion 5^th Marines. During his tour of duty he was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal with Combat “V” (valor).

After facing many battles with courage and honor while in uniform, Jeremy came home with the dreams to begin his life as a civilian. In 2006, Jeremy became a professional Mixed Martial Artist (MMA)and in 2007, opened 4oz Fight Club, a fitness/ training facility, which has become one of the most successful MMA gyms in the state of Texas. Jeremy was rated a Two-Time MMA Trainer of the Year.

In 2012, Jeremy made profound connections with other Veterans suffering with PTSD by completing a course for disabled Veterans at a Colorado based facility named Mighty Oaks. Recognizing the anguish of other Veterans, Jeremy was compelled to help. Initially, Jeremy reconnected with his unit, organizing camping outings, hunting adventures, and physical challenges to help support his brothers of combat. In 2014, Jeremy retired from fighting and stepped down as a coach/trainer to devote all of his time to helping Veterans (like himself) who suffer from the effects of combat-related PTSD. Jeremy’s passion and devotion to help other Veterans gain back their peace, life, and happiness in their own lives is the basis of his vision for the DAWG Foundation.

STAFF

Joe Spencer, Web Communications & Social Media Coordinator
(United States Navy ’98-’04)(Klein Volunteer Fire Dept ’13- )

Joe, a resident of Tomball, volunteers as our webmaster and social media coordinator, and holds a seat on the Foundation’s Board of Directors.  A veteran of the War on Terror, he served on the USS Portsmouth (SSN-707), USS Topeka (SSN-754), and with the Joint Communications Task Force (JCTF-6b).

Joe is also a volunteer firefighter with Klein Volunteer Fire Department, an advocate for veterans’ rights, and a dog lover!  When not working on the website, he can be found lazing around with his 2 best friends, Prince (14 year old Lhasa Apso) and Duke (2 year old Chaweenie).

Vickie Bartley, Canine Trainer