Second-year medical student Howard Stubhar started a small business called Dr. Doggie Doo to not only serve Lynchburg residents and their furry friends but also pay his academic bills by providing a dog waste removal service.
“People hire us to come to their house once a week to clean up after their dogs,” Stubhar said. “We do the job that no one else loves to do.”
Dr. Doggie Doo, creatively named after both the business’ practice and the pursuit of a degree in medicine from Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine, was not Stubhar’s first business venture. He previously started and sold a similar business at 19 years old when he was living out West. However, a dog waste cleaning company marked the first of its kind for the Lynchburg, Forest and Madison Heights areas.
Not only has the income generated from Dr. Doggie Doo helped the Stubhar family achieve their professional goals without accruing mass amounts of debt, but it also has been a significant blessing for their family. Stubhar and his wife Rachel, who is a Liberty alumna, have three daughters under the age of 5 whose main involvement in the business is posing for fun photoshoots.
Stubhar shared that his mission with Dr. Doggie Doo is not only for the company to be a source of income, but also a way to share his faith with the community.
“My wife and I have talked and prayed about how we can really have this business centrally focused with a vision for the kingdom of God,” Stubhar said.
Through the child sponsorship organization Compassion International, the Stubhars have contributed to the cause and have felt led to make that mission field part of their business. Once Dr. Doggie Doo reaches 50 clients, Howard plans to retroactively sponsor a child for every seven clients. Additionally, someone from the Stubhar family will travel to visit with a sponsored child once a year to stay intentional about fostering a Christ-centered relationship with them.
With each job, there is a higher purpose behind the dirty work, one that they continue to foster as their business continues to expand. Through their commitment to the faith, Stubhar said Dr. Doggie Doo presents his family with an opportunity to focus everything on God and continually point his work back to him.
Stubhar said students looking to start a business should thoroughly educate themselves before jumping in fully. He said there are many moments that take perseverance, and faith is the first step to embracing God’s calling effectively.
Quam is a feature reporter for the Liberty Champion.