Wranglers

Ruffin’ Wranglers has the best Wranglers this side of the Mississippi!

Our Wranglers go through months of training before they are on their own. As you can imagine, navigating the logistics of the neighborhoods, houses and doggie details takes some time to learn. The Wranglers function as a well trained team and we feel it a privilege to be able to share our days with the Ruffin’ Wrangler Dogs!

Blythe Penna, Owner

My name is Blythe Penna and I am very proud to say that I am the owner of Ruffin’ Wranglers Dog Excursions. I grew up in South Carolina, graduated from Clemson University with a B.A. in Psychology in 1991 & went in to Medical Device Sales in 1992. I spent 14 incredible years in Medical Devices. I was fortunate to build a very successful career with Horizon Medical Products, good ol’ HMP, in vascular access devices. I then went on to work for RITA, a Radiofrequency Ablation Company and finally Haemonetics. I was in sales, sales management, marketing, product design & development, product launching & sales training. I did it all and moved 7 times for those companies. Then there was “The Roma”! This story all began when Roma, my Vizsla, came into my life in 2006. Simple. I fell in love. I decided in those first months that I could not get on a plane and leave her on a weekly basis. Roma also required a ton of exercise; so starting my own excursion company with her friends built in was a perfect solution! I decided that I would be able to deliver a dog excursion experience that would allow dogs to run free and get the exercise and socialization they craved. I knew I would do everything within my power to have a service that surpassed the parent’s expectations. Roma passed in February of 2018. It was the most difficult loss I have ever gone through. I miss her every day, but the gifts she gave me are still around me daily. She was by my side as I built Ruffin’ Wranglers and I know we will continue to bring so much joy to dogs for years to come. Her legacy lives on. I could not live without the love of a dog, so I have brought another Vizsla into my life. Her name is “Clara I Do Declare” & she is the most brilliant, sweetest baby you have ever seen! She fills my heart daily. I love the potential in all things animals, humans & business. I am passionate about working hard, building teams & creating something that makes a difference in dog’s & their human’s lives. I know that most dog people can understand the sheer joy we get when a dog comes undone as Ruffin’ Wranglers pulls up in the SNIFF Mobile! It is the best! We love bringing joy to our dogs and of course feeling that same heartfelt joy is a pretty nice reward. Ruffin’ Wranglers has been in business since October of 2007 & we plan to keep running hard! We love what we do and it shows! We look forward to decades of wrangling! Love-Aunt B

Austin Wright, Manager

Austin became a wrangler in 2012. He loves seeing the excitement on the dog’s faces and making a difference in their lives! Austin has an Italian Greyhound, Noodle.  Before wrangling, Austin owned a video game store, worked as a security supervisor, and was an accuracy control manager for the UK Census.  He also had enjoyable and rewarding experiences fostering dogs and puppies for Dogs Trust UK.

Liz Thibault, Social Media Specialist

Liz became a wrangler in 2017, along with her Paperanian sidekick, Milo! She has a background in Art & Cosmetology and a love of gardening, crafts, and playing with pups! Liz creates social media posts for Ruffin’ Wranglers.

Matt Carlson, Fleet Manager

Matt became a wrangler in 2018. He has owned and cared for all species of animals from reptiles to dogs and a few things in-between! Matt was an automotive technician for over 10 years. He was thrilled to discover an opening at Ruffin’ Wranglers where he can work in a field he loves, literally, in a field with dogs!

Durand Guzman, Wrangler

Durand became a wrangler in 2021 and is a life long Rhode Islander & was raised with all kinds of furry, feathered and scaly friends at home. He joins us from the customer service field. When he wasn’t assisting humans, Durand was providing day/overnight care for the pets of friends, family and neighbors. This experience was fulfilling and sparked a dream of working with animals. Now at Ruffin’ he has the opportunity to work his dream job. Durand enjoys being in nature and spending time with his Chihuahua, Burrito.

Dan Garganese, Wrangler

Dan became a wrangler in 2021.  He comes to us with a background in culinary and insurance.  In his spare time, Dan is working toward a Sports Broadcasting/Sports Science Bachelors Degree and enjoys playing softball, basketball and golf. He has a son, Bradley, and his mixed breed, Pippa.  Dan is part of our meet and greet team.

Danie Miller, Wrangler

Danie became a Wrangler in 2022. She has worked with dogs professionally since 2015 and lives with a virtual menagerie of fur babies including her ACD sidekick Ariat, a min pin, two domestic shorthaired cats and a mini lop bunny, named Hannah. Originally from Houston, Danie has lived in Providence with her husband and daughter since 2013. Danie and her family spend their free time hiking, swimming and traveling. 

Veronica Russell, Wrangler

Veronica became a Wrangler in 2022.  She has a culinary arts degree from Johnson & Wales and left the food service industry to work with dogs, which has been a dream come true!  Originally from the Berkshires MA, she now lives in Providence with her fiancé and two kitties, Valencia and Vincenzo.  In her free time she likes to bake and watch true crime documentaries.

Erica Clark, Wrangler

Erica became a Wrangler in 2022.  She is a Rhode Island native that grew up in Cranston, but currently resides with her family and rescue, Ziva, in North Smithfield.  After rescuing Ziva, she recognized her compassion for animals and decided she wanted to work with them.  She is a graduate of La Salle Academy and has a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Media Communications from Rhode Island College. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her loved ones, playing video games, going to the beach, and taking Ziva on new adventures!

Frank Rose, Supplies Manager

Frank became a wrangler in 2022. He was a born and raised in Rhode Island with a love for physical fitness, travel, and animals of all kinds. He currently has a black lab, Jade and two cats.  After working 10+ years in landscaping and ship fitting he joined Ruffin’ Wranglers, which he considers to be his favorite job ever! In his spare time he loves to watch football and movies with his family.

Ashley Rivera, Wrangler

Ashley became a wrangler in 2024. She has a passion for loving dogs! She has 2 dogs, Lela and Bentley (in the photo)! She rescued Bentley and he is thriving at Ruffin’ Wranglers LLC… along with Ashley! She also loves to care for people as a CNA after her wrangling hours. Ashley absolutely adores being a part of the team, creating new relationships with all dog breeds and clients!

Kyle Nelson, Wrangler

Kyle became a Wrangler in 2024. He grew up in Johnston RI and has a 3 year old Labrador Terrier mix named, Brooklyn, that was a rescue. Brooklyn is the reason Kyle started working with animals. When he was raising her as a puppy he knew the love he felt for dogs was unmatched. He also knew working at Ruffin’ Wranglers LLC would give him an opportunity to learn so much about caring and bonding with dogs. Kyle finds it extremely interesting how every dog is unique in their own way, having their own personality. He worked for a dog daycare prior to joining us,  so he is very experienced in dog behavior and interaction. In his free time, he enjoys sports, hiking, and listening to all kinds of music.