KELLEY AND JASON BLACKSTON
A Lasting Paw Print
story by MICAH PEPPERS photos by CHARLOTTE BERKELEY
Twenty-six years ago, a visit to Beaufort changed everything for Kelley and Jason Blackston. As the couple drove through the historic downtown and along Bay Street, Kelley fell in love with the area. “I remember looking around and thinking, ‘This is where I want to be,’” she said. For Jason, a Savannah native, the move felt like a natural fit.
Moving to the Lowcountry would eventually lead to the creation of Beaufort Dog, one of the area’s most trusted names in dog training, daycare, boarding, and grooming. But while dogs may be at the center of their business, the story of Beaufort Dog is really the story of a couple whose complementary strengths have allowed them to build a successful business, raise a family, and become deeply rooted in the community they love.
The two met while attending college in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Both worked for the YMCA and eventually held leadership positions there before relocating to Beaufort in 1999. Kelley continued her career in education, teaching at Lady’s Island Middle School while also serving as an adjunct instructor at the Technical College of the Lowcountry and the University of South Carolina Beaufort. At the time, neither imagined that a puppy would completely change the course of their lives. When the couple became engaged, Jason surprised Kelley with a Golden Retriever puppy named Abbey. While Abbey was sweet, intelligent, and lovable, she was also energetic enough to keep the couple on their toes. “Even though we would crate her, she would tear the house up,” Kelley said with a laugh. “She pulled on the carpet and destroyed things while I was teaching school.” Seeking help, they enrolled Abbey in obedience training. There, Kelley met a trainer who recognized her natural ability to work with dogs and invited her to become an apprentice. “Because I was an educator and understood the positive reinforcement side of teaching, she told me, ‘If you want to be my apprentice, I’ll show you how to train dogs,’” Kelley said.
What started as a simple interest soon became much more. While continuing her career in education, Kelley began earning certifications in areas such as therapy dog training and aggression rehabilitation. As her knowledge grew, so did the number of people seeking her help. Before long, her evenings and weekends were filled with training sessions, helping dogs and their owners communicate more effectively and build lasting bonds. The demand eventually reached a point where it could no longer remain a side venture. “Exactly 20 years ago this August, we opened on Boundary Street,” Kelley said. “I loved it so much, and it was taking up more and more of my life than teaching school.” Today, Beaufort Dog has grown far beyond those early days. The business offers boarding, daycare, grooming, training, pet sitting, and has recently expanded into professional pet waste removal services. Yet despite the growth, the foundation remains the same: a commitment to helping dogs thrive and giving owners peace of mind.
One thing that separates Beaufort Dog from many facilities is the expertise available on-site. In addition to having a licensed behaviorist, the team also includes a licensed veterinary technician, helping ensure dogs remain healthy while having a positive experience during their stay. For Kelley, training continues to be at the heart of everything they do. “I like to describe dog training as school,” she said. “The levels of dog training are like the levels we complete in school. Many clients are concerned that their dog doesn’t listen around distractions (like coming when called, even when there’s a squirrel or another dog), but these are intermediate skills — like middle school. One must master a basic skill — like you would addition and subtraction in elementary school — before moving on to adding distractions and taking them out to practice these skills in the real world. So, let’s master elementary school, and then middle school will come easily.”
While Kelley focuses on training, customer relationships, and community involvement, Jason oversees the operational side of the business. He is often the first person through the doors each morning. “Jason is there at eight o’clock every morning,” Kelley said. “He’s the first person there. He feeds the dogs, takes them out, and makes sure everything is set up correctly. He doesn’t delegate those things because he wants to know every dog is being cared for properly.” It is that balance of strengths that has helped them successfully work together for more than two decades. Where Kelley thrives in training, education, and customer interaction, Jason excels in daily operations and creating systems that keep everything running smoothly. Together, they have built a business that reflects both of their personalities. Their longevity has also helped establish a level of trust that can’t be manufactured. “We’ve been around long enough now that we see customers come back with multiple generations of dogs,” Kelley said. “That’s really special.”
The couple believes their deep involvement in the community has played a significant role in that trust. Beyond Beaufort Dog, both remain active in local organizations and events, creating connections that extend far beyond their business. “Word of mouth is fabulous in Beaufort,” Kelley said. “People know us, they trust us, and we’re grateful for that.” Over the years, Kelley has witnessed countless transformations, but one dog in particular still stands out. A Chow-Golden Retriever mix named Lulu arrived with severe behavioral challenges after a tragic incident involving another dog. Her owners feared there might not be a future for her. “It took about four months of training,” Kelley said. “But we were able to rebuild her behavior around other dogs.” The result was remarkable. Lulu eventually attended a Golden Retriever rescue reunion without incident. “She was able to trust again,” Kelley said. “Those are the moments you never forget.”
Not every memorable experience involves intensive training, however. Some of their favorite moments simply come from watching people connect through their shared love of dogs. “One of Jason’s favorite things is seeing the different types of people who come together because of their dogs,” Kelley said. “People who might never have crossed paths start talking and building relationships. Dogs really bring people together.”
When the Blackstons aren’t working, they enjoy spending time on the water with their family. Their dogs often join them, though not all at once. “We have a boat and love being on the water,” Kelley said. “Since we can’t take all of our dogs at the same time, they rotate turns.”
Looking ahead, the couple isn’t focused on dramatic expansion. Instead, they want to continue serving the clients who have supported them for two decades while carefully adding services that make life easier for pet owners. “We’re very happy where we are,” Kelley said. “We really just want to love and serve the clients that we have.”
For Kelley and Jason Blackston, success isn’t measured solely by the number of dogs they’ve trained or boarded. It’s found in the relationships they’ve built — with each other, with their employees, with their clients, and with the community they chose as home more than two decades ago.
What started with one mischievous Golden Retriever has grown into a Beaufort institution. Through it all, Kelley and Jason have remained partners in every sense of the word — a true power couple whose shared dedication has left a lasting paw print on the community they love.
